


Back from the Dead

by Sapphire5



Category: The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:07:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27898819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphire5/pseuds/Sapphire5
Summary: Series: OngoingInstallment #2 (6 Chapters, Complete)Series Summary: Two families collide with the Quests, both with ties to Dr. Quest, and their history will directly impact the Quest Family's future. (Future Alternaverse)Disclaimer: JQ: TRA is owned by Hanna Barbara. This is a work of fiction written by a fan for other fans’ enjoyment. No money was made off of this fic.
Kudos: 1





	1. Trouble

**Author's Note:**

> A Note From the Author:
> 
> As I stated in my note attached to the first installment of this series, these JQ:TRA stories (particularly the first four) were my first attempt at writing fan fiction, way back in the late 1990's and very early 2000's. Again, while I did do some major revisions to this series (this installment revised 2/2009), I did not rewrite it. I made some of those fan fiction mistakes that make people groan, and I left them there during revision. I learned a lot from writing these stories, and I value them for what they are: practice. Personally, I like having them as a record of how far I've come as a writer. I am always learning!
> 
> If my stories are so problematic, why am I sharing them? Quite simply, I spent so much time and energy writing them, it would be a shame to let them sit on my hard drive collecting e-dust. Also, there are a few JQ:TRA fans who have enjoyed them, despite their problems. Give them a try. You might like them, too. And if not, that's okay. You won't hurt my feelings, I promise. If you do read them, and care to leave feedback, thank-you! I always love getting constructive criticism. Just remember, constructive criticism comments on specific problems and gives suggestions on how to improve. Without that, the comment is just a complaint, and I ignore those.
> 
> I hope you enjoy! ~Sapphire

March 2000

Chapter One: Trouble

Location: St. Thomas Aquinas University, Acosta, Connecticut

Maggie Hardy felt the need to look over her shoulder. For weeks she’d had the eerie sensation that someone was constantly watching her. Everywhere she went she could feel eyes on her back, and when she turned around, there was never anything unusual there. 

_“Only eight o’clock,”_ she thought as she walked through the campus common under the glowing lamps. _“You’re being paranoid, stupid. There are plenty of people around.”_ Her eyes darted around looking into the shadows for any lurking strangers, despite her mental lecture to herself. There was no one, as usual.

She sighed with relief when she finally reached her residence hall. She went through the front entrance, and took the stairs on the left up to her floor. When she had made it to her door, she glanced back the way she had come out of habit. A tall man with black hair, apparently in his early twenties, stepped through the stairwell door. He looked at her, but turned down the other hallway. Shrugging off an eerie feeling, Maggie unlocked her door and went inside. The first thing she did was pick up the phone and dial a familiar number.

“Hi, Mrs. Hovand, this is Maggie. Is my brother home?” 

“Maggie! Hello! I’m sure Matthew would love to speak to you, but he’s not home. He left a few hours ago for Peru,” Abigail Hovand responded from the other end of the line.

“Oh, he didn’t tell me he was going on a trip,” Maggie said desolately.

“He got the call from UWA this morning,” Abigail explained. United World Aid, Maggie knew. Her brother had been involved with the organization for several years. “Matthew was training to go in June, but someone backed out for this trip at the last minute- a health issue, I believe.”

“Oh,” Maggie said.

“Is there something particular you need, dear?” Abigail asked kindly.

“Oh, no,” Maggie replied. “It wasn’t important anyway. I just felt like talking to him is all.” Maggie chit-chatted with Abigail Hovand, her twin brother’s adopted mother, for a while before hanging up the phone. Any familiar voice was a comfort.

Despite the phone call, the eerie feeling was still with her; she couldn’t seem to shake it. It crossed her mind to call her uncle and cousin up in Maine, but she remembered they were out of the country, in Nigeria. The only person that would be at home was Mrs. Evans, the housekeeper, who stayed at the house when the family was away for an extended trip.

In an attempt to relax, Maggie grabbed a towel and her pajamas and headed for the floor’s large bathroom. A hot shower might do the trick. With water pouring down on her, she could feel the tensions of the day washing away along with the soap as she rinsed shampoo out of her sandy brown, shoulder length hair. She felt better already. As soon as she dried off and put her pajamas on, she went back to her room to catch the end of a television program she liked.

Once inside the room, she flipped on the light and hung her towel on the towel rack. She glanced at the desk to locate the television remote, but what she saw instead frightened her. Her letter opener had been stabbed through a little stuffed animal, and there was a note attached. She looked around the room apprehensively. 

Her closet was open as usual- no one was hiding there. No one could possibly fit under the bed as it was too low to the ground. There was no other concealed place to hide. Whoever had been there was gone. Sure now that she wasn’t stepping into some kind of trap, she approached the desk and read the note. _“Check your messages,”_ was all it said. Maggie glanced at her phone and answering machine. It was blinking crazily. She tentatively pressed the play button.

“Hi, Maggie, this is Tabitha. I was wondering when you were going to turn in your graphics for the paper. The editors need it right away. Let me know ASAP.” Maggie had been expecting that call. She had sent the graphics that afternoon to the editors of the school paper. The machine beeped, and the next message began.

“Yeah, Maggie, just wondering if you wanted to grab supper with me. Guess not. Bye.” Maggie recognized the voice of her friend Will. That could not possibly be what the note had meant for her to hear.

“Maggie, it’s Matt,” she heard her brother’s voice. “I was hoping I’d catch you, but I guess I have to leave you a message. I’m leaving for Peru today. It was a last-minute thing. I’ll call you when I get there and can get to a phone. As Mother says, I’m off to save the world again. Later.” Maggie smiled ruefully. Abigail had already told her that.

“Hi, It’s Sally from your American Lit class. I was just wondering if I could get today’s notes from you. Call me back and let me know.” Maggie couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Sally was always losing assignments and sheets of notes, then calling around trying to get a copy from someone. The machine beeped again as it moved to the next message.

“Maggie. I know where you are. I know where you go. You can’t escape me,” a muffled, semi-familiar voice said. Maggie’s hands started shaking. “You won’t know when, you won’t know where, but it will happen. You can’t escape- this time.” The machine clicked off. Maggie grabbed the phone and dialed a number. She waited as the phone on the other end rang. Finally, someone picked up. 

“Yes?” asked a half-asleep voice.

“Mrs. Evans,” Maggie said urgently, “I’m so sorry to wake you. This is Dr. Quest’s niece, Maggie. When is Uncle Benton going to return?”

“Why, hello,” Mrs. Evans said, more awake than before. “Good to hear from you, dear. Dr. Quest will be returning in a few days. Why do you ask?”

“Would it be all right if I came up to Rockport and stay until he gets back? Please don’t ask why, I’ll explain when I get there tomorrow morning,” Maggie pleaded.

“Of course, come whenever you like,” Mrs. Evans said kindly. “It’s rather lonesome here without a house full of people.” Maggie thanked her and hung up. She went to her closet and started to pack a bag. Then she called the train station and reserved her tickets. She got dressed, and left as quickly as possible.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Location: Acosta Depot, Acosta, Connecticut

Maggie arrived nearly an hour before her train was scheduled to leave. She walked through the waiting area toward the doors that led to the boarding platform. The place was nearly deserted, which didn’t surprise her, as it was nearing midnight. It didn’t help her paranoia much. She was passing the marble stairs that led up to the restaurant and gift shops when she heard a pinging sound and saw bits of marble scatter from a tiny hole in a step. Realization struck instantly. Someone had just taken a shot at her.

Instinctively, she dove behind a tall, wide, stone pillar for protection, dropping her bag and leaving it where it fell. She flattened herself back against the stone, and tried to keep quiet. Bits of stone went flying as a second bullet grazed the side of the pillar. Maggie was terrified, but she kept her cool and watched for the gunman to come into view. As long as she couldn’t see him, he couldn’t see her, and if he couldn’t see her, he couldn’t shoot her.

“That man has a gun!” shouted some startled woman from somewhere in the station. Her voice, and the voices of several other startled people echoed hollowly in the cavernous room.

“Everybody get down! Try to get behind something!” a man shouted a moment after. Another bullet went whizzing by the pillar. Maggie guessed the gunman was using a silencer since she couldn’t hear the shots. That made him all the more deadly. The woman was now shouting hysterically.

“You there!” came the deep voice of another man. “Stop, you hear? Drop that gun! Drop it or I’ll shoot!” A police or security officer, she guessed. “Stop!” he shouted. Maggie could hear pounding footsteps approach. A figure in a dark trench coat ran past, and up the steps. At the top, he turned and got off another shot at Maggie. She had seen him pause and slipped around the other side of the pillar out of the way. The perpetrator took off again, the officer hot on his tail.

“It’s safe to come out now,” a man called out. Maggie peered around the pillar, wary of a possible second gunman, and to her surprise, saw Price Hovand jogging toward her. She almost hadn’t recognized him in his Air Force uniform. “Maggie!” he exclaimed in astonishment.

“Price!” Maggie called out and ran up to him. She threw her arms around his neck, glad to see him. He clutched her tightly as she started to tremble. Now that she was safe, she could allow herself to feel her fear.

“What _are_ you doing here, Maggie?” Price asked.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Maggie said in a shaky voice. “You’re supposed to be at the Dover Air Force Base.”

“I got a leave before I get shipped off to Spagdahlem Air Base in Germany. I was on my way home,” Price explained. “What about you?”

“I was going to Maine,” she answered. “I’m so scared.”

“Don’t worry,” Price said giving her another hug. “That guy won’t bother you again. Probably just some random shooting.” Maggie shook her head. Price looked at her curiously. “What is it?”

“There was a nasty message on my answering machine tonight. Someone is trying to kill me. That gunman was here specifically to target me,” she told him.

“That’s ridiculous,” Price said. “Who would do that?”

“Ever since I heard the message, I’ve been asking myself the same thing. Only one thing comes to mind.”  
“What’s that?”

“Something Jonny said to me once,” Maggie recalled. “It keeps running through my head. Your father.” Price gave her an incredulous look. They both knew that Connor Hovand III was dead. “I know it sounds crazy, but Jonny said it wasn’t impossible,” Maggie defended.

“Still-” Price said dubiously. Maggie didn’t feel like arguing the point.

“Anyway, I’m going to Rockport,” she said. “I figure I’ll be safe there with all the security at the Compound until Uncle Benton gets home,” Maggie explained. “My train leaves in a half hour.”

“I’m going with you, then,” Price declared. “Your brother would kill me if I let you go alone.” Maggie was about to protest, but then decided she’d rather have someone along to watch her back. “Hey- why didn’t _he_ come with you?”

“UWA offered him a last-minute spot on a trip. He’s in Peru by now, busy ‘saving the world’ as your mother says.” Price rolled his eyes at her words.

“What else is new?” Price sighed, shaking his head.

“Anyway, he was gone before I got the nasty message,” Maggie finished. They walked toward the ticket window, each carrying their duffel bags.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Location: Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, Texas

Matthew Hardy landed at the Dallas Fort Worth Airport in Texas. He had just come from Denver, one of several places on his list of connecting flights to Peru. He pulled his carry-on bag from the space beneath the seat in front of him as the plane taxied to the gate. He pulled his connecting flight tickets from the side pocket, and prepared to disembark. He wished the people at UWA had gotten him a direct flight.

Once inside the airport, Matthew looked around for a map of the immense building. He had just come in at gate nine, and he had to catch his next plane at gate fifty-one. He had no inkling as to where to go. Spotting a kiosk with the airport map, he headed for it.

To his disappointment, the gate was on the other end of the airport. It wouldn’t have been so bad, except this particular airport was built in the shape of a W. He had to go past every gate between nine and fifty-one. He really hated connecting flights. With a sigh, he shouldered his bag and started his long trek.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Location: Aboard a train, somewhere in Connecticut

Destination: Quest Compound, Rockport, Maine

It was just past one in the morning. Maggie and Price sat silently on the train as it sped through Connecticut and into Massachusetts. Maggie was lost in thought, and wasn’t aware of anything around her. She couldn’t stop thinking about the fiasco in Minnesota. _“Could Connor Hovand still be alive?”_

“What’s on your mind?” she heard Price say. She reluctantly dragged herself back to reality.

“Nothing that would interest you,” Maggie said evasively.

“You never know,” Price countered suspiciously.

“I’d rather not say, then,” Maggie replied. “ _I’m better off keeping my mouth shut_ ,” she thought. “ _Connor Hovand is his_ father _. That can’t be easy_.”

“Well, I can’t _make_ you spill it,” Price said with a shrug, “but I’m not going to stop bugging you until you tell me.” He gave Maggie a determined look.

“You are positively a pain,” Maggie told him.

“I know,” Price said mischievously.

“Can we talk about something else?” Maggie asked. Price glanced at her curiously. She clearly didn’t want to talk about whatever was on her mind.

“Like what?” Price replied reluctantly.

“How is the Air Force?” she suggested.

“Fine. I just hope I don’t get stuck in Germany for too long. I hate being so far away from you.”

“Me?” Maggie asked, startled.

“You, and my mother, and my brother,” Price returned.

“Of course.” Maggie felt strangely disappointed. She shrugged it off.

“What about you? How is school?” Price was asking.

“Fine, I guess.”

“You guess?”

“Well, I’m not sure why, but lately, I’ve been wishing I could go somewhere far away for a while,” Maggie admitted.

“Don’t you like school?” Price asked.

“I do,” Maggie said uncertainly, “but it’s my second semester at this school, and I can’t seem to settle in. And now this,” Maggie said with an absent wave of her hand. Thoughts of Connor Hovand just wouldn’t leave her. Authorities were unable to make a positive ID of the body they took from the burned warehouse. There was a slight possibility that it hadn’t been _him_.

“You have that look on your face again,” Price told her, “the same one you had five minutes ago. Why won’t you just tell me what’s bothering you?”

“Do you really want to know?” Maggie asked. Price nodded. “What if I told you I think your father is behind this?”

“He’s dead, Maggie,” Price said firmly.

“Jonny said it first; they never confirmed the identity of the body. The official reports said it was impossible to make a positive ID. It’s not impossible-”

“He’s dead,” Price repeated, cutting her off. 

“Why won’t you consider the possibility, even for the sake of argument?” Maggie asked. “Chances are you’re right. But what if you’re not?”

“Because he’s _dead_. He was the only person unaccounted for,” Price argued.

“The message said I wouldn’t escape, _this_ time. That means this isn’t the first time this person has tried to kill me. The only person who ever wanted me dead was your father. I can’t ignore the possibility he could have escaped that warehouse alive. It could be deadly if I do,” Maggie shot back.

“Well I can’t ignore facts. He’s dead,” Price said again.

“Look, the last thing I want to be doing at one in the morning is arguing about this with you,” Maggie said with a frustrated sigh. “I told you I didn’t want to talk about it. Let’s drop it, okay?” Price studied her face a moment. Whatever he saw there, he nodded, and they slipped into silence for the rest of their journey.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Location: Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, Texas

Matthew finally made it to his gate. He looked at his watch. It was nearing one-thirty a.m. back in Connecticut. He checked the flight monitor. His connecting flight was still on time. He had about a half an hour before it came in, so he sat down to wait. The next time he checked the monitor, his connecting flight was delayed. It wouldn’t be landing for another forty-five minutes. With a sigh of frustration, Matthew got up from his chair and went in search of an open snack bar. As he rounded a corner in a deserted area of the airport, Matthew felt a hard object come in contact with the back of his head. A sea of blackness washed over him, and he felt himself falling to the floor. He never felt himself hit the ground.

*JQJQJQJQ*


	2. The Race

Chapter Two: The Race

Location: Quest Compound, Rockport, Maine

“Mrs. Evans!” Maggie exclaimed when the housekeeper opened the front door.

“Maggie, dear!” Mrs. Evans greeted when she saw the young woman. “It’s so good to see you. Oh, and who is this striking young man?”

“Oh, you remember Price. He’s Matt’s adopted brother,” Maggie reminded.

“Oh, yes!” Mrs. Evans said with a glint of recognition in her eyes. “He looks so different in that uniform, so smart and handsome.” Price was blushing with embarrassment at her compliments. “Come in, come in! Don’t just stand out there in this cold!” She ushered them in from the falling snow.

“I hope it isn’t any trouble that Price came. It was a last-minute decision. We ran into one another at the train station.” Maggie didn’t want to impose on Mrs. Evans, but the older woman just smiled brightly.

“Not any trouble at all. He’s welcome here, same as you and your brother. Can I get you anything to eat, or maybe some hot chocolate to warm you?”

“No thank you,” they both declined in unison. They laughed. Price continued. “Actually, if it wouldn’t be a problem, we’d just like to go to bed. We were both up all night.”

“Of course, I should have thought of it. Up on that train and all. Maggie, your room is ready. I’ll just take a quick ten minutes to fix one up for you, Price,” Mrs. Evans said. She flew up the stairs to start her task.

“I love her,” Maggie said smiling. “She’s wonderful. Uncle Benton was lucky to find her. What would this house do without her? It would fall to pieces, that’s what it would do,” she answered herself. Price laughed at her, and then they headed up to their rooms.

*JQJQJQJQ*

It was just after noon when Maggie finally woke from. She felt like stale bread in her rumpled traveling clothes, so she took a hot shower before going downstairs. In her fresh jeans and powder blue sweater, she energetically trotted down the steps to the living room.

“Sleep well, dear?” Mrs. Evans asked kindly, looking up from the easy chair in front of the fire where she was busy crocheting something that hadn’t yet taken a discernable shape.

“I feel great,” Maggie answered. “Is Price awake yet?”

“He’s in the kitchen getting himself something to eat,” Mrs. Evans told her.

“Good,” Maggie replied, heading that way. She paused, and turned back to Mrs. Evans. She hadn’t seen the kindly housekeeper in some time. “How have you been, Mrs. Evans? And your mother?” Mrs. Evans looked up from her crocheting.

“Oh, I’ve been fine. Mother’s been poorly since January,” she said. “She’s been asking me to come visit for some time. I haven’t had the chance.” Maggie suddenly wondered if perhaps staying at the Quest Compound would be too dangerous for Mrs. Evans. What if the gunman had followed them to Maine?

“Couldn’t you go see her now?” Maggie asked. “Uncle Benton won’t be back for a few days, and Price and I can look after the house since we’re here.”

“Would you do that?” Mrs. Evans asked. “Would Dr. Quest mind?”

“Why should he?” Maggie asked. “I’m somewhat surprised he hasn’t sent you to see your mother sooner.”

“I haven’t spoken to him about it,” Mrs. Evans admitted. “He’s been busy these past months, and I’ve been needed. I didn’t feel right asking for time off.”

“You should have asked. Uncle Benton would have insisted you go. You know that,” Maggie said. Mrs. Evans smiled.

“You’re right at that,” she agreed. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to go for a few days. The family is away, and you’ll be here to watch over things.” Maggie nodded. “You’re such a sweet girl,” Mrs. Evans said to Maggie. “I will go see my mother. If I leave now, I can make the drive tonight.” Mrs. Evans went to get ready to go home, and Maggie went to join Price in the Kitchen.

“What a difference,” Maggie exclaimed, noticing his change of attire. “You certainly look more relaxed in jeans than you did in uniform.”

“Don’t you like my uniform?” Price asked with mock disappointment. “Most girls like men in uniforms.” Despite his friendly teasing, Maggie could feel an undercurrent of tension left over from their argument on the train.

“Well, I’m not most girls,” Maggie said with a little laugh. “Anyway, I just meant that you look ready to have some fun instead of being so serious.”

“What kind of fun?” Price asked, his interest piqued. He was aware of the dissention, too, and welcomed any distraction.

“I happen to know there is a small fleet of snowmobiles in the garage,” Maggie told him. “Jonny says there’s a good trail through the woods on the property. Maybe we could take a couple of them out.”

“Okay, let’s go,” Price grabbed the sandwich he had made and they headed for the door. “I’ll let Mrs. Evans know where we’re off to.”

“No need,” Maggie stopped him, “I gave her time off.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I don’t want her to get hurt if someone tries to kill me again.” Price stiffened slightly, but nodded. She had a point. There was no question someone had been shooting at Maggie. It was the _who_ they didn’t see eye to eye on. Together, they walked to the living room where Mrs. Evans was just pulling on her coat.

“Well, I’m off,” Mrs. Evans said cheerily. “Thank you for giving me the time off. Mother will be happy to see me.” She paused. “You’re sure you can handle it?”

“It’s our pleasure,” Price said, “and don’t worry about a thing. We can manage just fine.” The two watched as Mrs. Evans left the house, backed her car out of the garage, and drove down the long drive until she was well out of sight.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Maggie watched trees fly by as she led Price through the woods on her black snowmobile emblazoned with the silver and green Quest Enterprises emblem on the hood. The trail was easy to follow, so she could take the time to enjoy the forest scenery. As she crested a hill, she pulled to a stop and waited for Price to catch up on his matching snowmobile.

“What’s up?” Price asked pulling off his helmet. He seemed much more relaxed than earlier. Maggie was more at ease as a result.

“How about a race?” Maggie suggested enthusiastically. “We could race down this hill and across that field down there,” she pointed to the meadow at the foot of the hill, blanketed in fresh snow. “First one to the trees on the other side wins.”

“You’re on!” Price agreed. There was a metallic ping as something hit the running board on Maggie’s snowmobile. They both looked down. “It’s a bullet!” Price said in astonishment, spying the flattened silver disc lying in the dented metal. Another bullet hit the running board.

“Someone’s shooting at us!” Maggie exclaimed in shock. “Let’s get the hell out of here!” Both helmets went on in a flash, and they took off down the hill with a spray of snow kicked up by their snowmobile treads. As they got midway down the hill, Price started to veer off into the trees. He knew they would have a better chance of escape with the trees to help conceal and shield them. They couldn’t do anything about the tracks, but they would be better off in the woods than in the open. Looking back, Price saw Maggie following his lead.

Once under the cover of the forest, they started to wind their way through the trees, hoping to confuse their pursuer. Maggie and Price zigzagged everywhere, crisscrossing their tracks as much as possible. When neither of them felt like hanging around any longer, they both headed away from the area.

Maggie kept looking back to see if anyone was following them. Someone had to be there somewhere. Just as she turned around a bend, she caught a glimpse of another snowmobile between the trees. It was hard to see both the rider and the machine. The rider was dressed in all white, and the snowmobile was white with no distinguishing markings. Pushing in the throttle a little more, Maggie raced ahead and caught up to Price. Catching his attention with a wave, she pointed her thumb behind them, and he took a look. Sure enough, someone was hot on their tail.

Price motioned Maggie to go one way, and himself the other. If there was only one attacker, one of them could double back and come up behind him. Maggie veered off to the right, and Price went to the left. Unfortunately for Maggie, the white snowmobile followed her.

Not being the most experienced rider, Maggie had a hard time outmaneuvering the person following her. She did manage to stay far enough ahead, though, so he couldn’t get off a good shot. Bright sunlight just breaking through the clouds nearly blinded her. Blinking, she saw the trees were gone and she realized she was out in the open. _“This is really bad,”_ she thought to herself. _“I’m a sitting duck out here.”_ She gunned the engine, heading across the field toward the trees on the other side. _“I can’t believe how stupid I am,”_ she chided herself. She had managed to circle back to the meadow clearing. Wondering how close the white snowmobile was, Maggie chanced a glance back.

The white snowmobile was just clearing the trees at the edge of the meadow. Maggie was nearly half-way across, but there was a long way to go. Knowing she was in danger out in the open, she swerved erratically to prevent the rider in white from getting a clear shot. The tactic slowed her down, and the white snowmobile was gaining ground.

Maggie looked back again. She could feel the color drain from her face when she saw the white snowmobile, closer than ever, and rapidly closing the remaining gap. Maggie looked forward to gauge how long it would take to reach the woods. With a lurch, the snow underneath the snowmobile gave way, and she felt herself go down. She had hit a deep air pocket in the snow and it was caving in beneath her.

Maggie screamed as she was flung to the ground. She sank deeply in the wet snow, and with a cry of horror, she watched her snowmobile flip upward, and come down on top of her, landing heavily across her body. The impact knocked the wind out of her, and she was as still as death.

The white snowmobile came to a stop a short distance from where Maggie lay in the snow. Its rider climbed off and cautiously approached, checking to see if Maggie was still alive. The person in white crouched down and looked at the girl’s face through the helmet’s visor.

“She looks dead,” the stranger spoke into a microphone hidden inside the white helmet. “If she isn’t, that thing had to have crushed her chest. It’ll kill her in the end.” The words were heavy with cruel satisfaction. “It’s more painful to die slowly. No one can survive that impact. Dead now or dead later is dead just the same.” The person in white smirked at the girl lying in the snow, then turned and got back on the white snowmobile idling nearby.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Price kept going until he was certain the white snowmobile was not following him. Which meant Maggie was in trouble. Doubling back, Price found the place they had split up and picked up Maggie’s trail. There were two sets of tracks weaving through the trees. Price felt shivers go up his spine when he saw they headed straight into the open meadow.

Stopping just within the cover of the trees, Price looked out over the field, and his eyes locked on an overturned snowmobile on the far side. It was black. He went full throttle and raced to Maggie’s overturned snowmobile, fearing the worst. His stomach turned when he saw Maggie was underneath the heavy machine.

“Maggie!” he shouted jumping off his snowmobile into the snow. “Oh, no, Maggie.” He pulled off his helmet and knelt down beside Maggie’s still body. He flipped up her visor. “Maggie, can you hear me?” He watched her closely, praying that she would wake up. Slowly, her eyes started to flutter open.

“Price?” she answered, her breath short and unsteady.

“Are you in pain?” he asked worriedly. Maggie studied his worried face for a minute, then looked away. Price watched as she carefully moved individual body parts, starting with her neck and ending with her feet.

“My wrist hurts,” Maggie finally answered, “and I banged my knee pretty bad, but I don’t think it’s too serious.”

“Thank God,” Price breathed with relief.

“I’m fine,” Maggie repeated. She started to squirm under the snowmobile. “I think if you dig a little of the snow out from under me, you can just pull me out.”

“Alright,” Price complied, and he started to dig out the snow. When he was finished, he grabbed hold of Maggie under her arms, and pulled her easily out from under the snowmobile. “That wasn’t so bad,” Price said. “It looks like the snow was holding most of the snowmobile’s weight.” Maggie nodded, and Price stood her on her feet. She promptly staggered and fell. “Maggie!”

“I’m okay, my knee just gave out.” Maggie was carefully holding her left wrist to her side, and with her right hand, was gingerly feeling around her knee. “I can’t tell how bad it is,” she said seeing the hole in her snowmobile pants, and the blood on her fingers, “not until I get these things off.”

“We’ll just have to get you back to the house right away, then,” Price told her.

“Ah!” she exclaimed as he picked her up out of the snow and carried her toward his snowmobile.

“I’m sorry,” Price said setting her down on the seat, “did I hurt you?”

“No,” she answered, staring up at him with wide eyes. “Just surprised,” Maggie said breathlessly. Price laughed as he put on his helmet and climbed on the snowmobile in front of Maggie. She flipped down her visor and held on tight with one arm. They sped off toward the compound.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Price carried Maggie into the house and brought her straight to the living room. He set her on the floor near the fireplace where Mrs. Evans’ fire was just barely holding onto the coals. Price placed some fresh wood onto the hot coals, and with a little encouragement, the wood caught, and would be burning bright and warm in a few minutes. Price got himself out of his outdoor clothes, then helped Maggie out of hers. Both their faces were grim when they saw the blood covering Maggie’s torn jeans on the right knee. 

“The pants have to come off,” Maggie said. “I have thermals on under.” Price helped Maggie stand, and she managed to take off her jeans.

Price tore the hole in her leggings to make it larger, then decided to tear it off completely from the knee down. They took a careful look at the injury. Both saw the cut was relatively deep. Maggie wondered if she should be taken to the hospital- it might require stitches.

“I don’t know,” Price muttered, his thoughts following the same path as Maggie’s. “I’ve had first aid training, but this looks pretty bad.” Maggie watched as he carefully cleaned and dressed the wound with gauze. He worked quickly and efficiently, and Maggie resolved she’d have to learn how to do first aid herself. “When was the last time you had a tetanus shot?”

“Last fall,” Maggie said. “I shouldn’t have to worry about rusty metal.” Price nodded. When he finished with the knee, he moved to her left wrist. “Ow!” Maggie exclaimed the second Price touched it.

“It hurts that bad?” he asked. “Maybe we should take you to the emergency room after all.”

“No,” Maggie disagreed adamantly. He raised a questioning eyebrow at her. Maggie relaxed a bit. “It’s not that bad. I’m just being a baby.” She didn’t want to leave the house. It was too dangerous. Even if her wrist was broken, she would live with the pain if she had to. “It’s probably just a bad sprain,” she assured.

“If you say so,” Price said reluctantly. “I’ll just wrap it up, then.” He unrolled an ace bandage and put it around Maggie’s wrist. She set her jaw and bore up to the pain bravely. When he finished, he cleaned up the mess, and dropped Maggie’s blood covered jeans into the trash.

“Help me over to the wall there,” Maggie said when Price was finished. “I have to turn on the security systems.” Price nodded, then lifted her off the floor and helped her hobble to the wall where she had indicated. She slid open a wall panel, revealing a computer console.

“Iris, turn on all security systems, please,” Maggie said to the computer, “level three.”

“Identify user, please,” Iris replied pleasantly.

“Authorization, Maggie Hardy.” She waited while the computer confirmed her voice patterns.

“Welcome to the Quest Compound, Maggie,” Iris’s voice greeted. “Initiating all security systems. All systems, level three, are on.”

“Iris, scan for any intruders currently in the compound,” Maggie said next. She waited while Iris ran the checks.

“Search negative,” Iris said.

“Iris, allow no one to enter or exit except Maggie Hardy, Price Hovand, Benton Quest, Jonny Quest, Race Bannon, Jessie Bannon, and Hadji Singh.”

“Allowances initiated,” Iris said.

“Thank-you, Iris,” Maggie said. She looked up at Price. “Now I feel much better,” she said with a relieved sigh.

“Me too,” Price agreed. “Now how about some supper?” Maggie nodded, and Price helped her to the couch beside the fireplace and tucked a warm blanket around her. Price went into the kitchen and brought out some hot chocolate and a plate of sandwiches. They both savored the hot drink and devoured the sandwiches, then Price looked over the bookshelves until he found a book he liked. “I’ll read to you, if you want,” he offered.

“I’d like that,” Maggie replied, curling up in the corner of the couch. Price sat right beside her, and began to read. The book was filled with humorous stories, and they laughed at them, but their hearts weren’t really in it. As the day faded into night, Maggie drifted off to sleep, leaning against Price’s arm. He smiled to himself, then settled in and fell asleep too.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Maggie awoke when she felt someone next to her move. She opened her eyes and saw Price getting more wood to add to the fire. Light was streaming in through the paned windows, and the flickering fire made her realize he had kept it going all night.

“Good morning,” Maggie said, stretching, and wincing when the movement hurt her wrist. Price looked up from where he knelt at the hearth.

“Sorry if I woke you,” he said.

“No, you didn’t,” Maggie assured. She settled back into the couch cushions again. “Did you get much sleep?” Price sighed.

“No,” he said. “I kept hearing noises and of course I had to check them out. I was worried the gunman would come back.”

“No one can get past security,” Maggie reminded. “Iris would warn us if there was any danger.”

“I know, but I still worried.” Price stretched his stiff muscles then meandered toward the kitchen. “I’m going to get breakfast. You want some?” he asked.

“Just some toast if you don’t mind,” Maggie called back. Price made some kind of affirmative noise, then disappeared around the stairs. Maggie sighed, and untangled herself from the blankets. Carefully, she pulled herself to a standing position. The sight of her bandages, and her leggings, torn off at the knee, made her suddenly desperate for a shower and a fresh change of clothes. She headed for the stairs, hobbling carefully across the room.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Price questioned, catching sight of her through the kitchen doorway.

“Upstairs to get a shower,” she answered firmly.

“Hold on,” Price said. “Not on that knee, you’re not.” He quickly joined her at the main stairs and scooped her up off the ground. Maggie protested. “I’m worried the cut will reopen,” Price said as he carried her upstairs. “You should take it easy today. I’ll help you get around. Just call me when you’re ready to come downstairs,” he said, depositing her in her room. Then he headed back to the kitchen.

Left to her own devices for the time being, Maggie decided taking a bath would make it easier to keep her knee out of the water. However, that made washing her hair just a bit difficult. She managed, though, shampooing with only one hand and rinsing by leaning back under the tap. Finally clean, she dried off, then dressed in a pale yellow sweater and a knee-length skirt. Jeans pressed too hard on her knee, and the skirt kept it relatively pain free. Her wrist, however, hurt like hell and there was no simple fix for it.

_“I hope it’s not broken,”_ Maggie thought to herself. _“Even if it is, I can’t let Price know it. It’s not safe to leave the compound. I just have to put up with it.”_ Maggie rummaged through the medicine cupboard in the hall and found a strong pain reliever. She took two capsules, then headed for the stairs.

At the top, she called for Price, who was just finishing buttering the toast she had ordered, after fixing himself some eggs and breakfast ham. He bounded up the steps to carry her down. Midway to the bottom, the front door opened and Jonny, Jessie, and Race came in with Bandit running behind.

“Maggie!” Jonny shouted. “What are you doing here? Why is the security at level three?” Jonny watched in confusion as Price carried his cousin the rest of the way down the stairs.

“What the Sam Hill happened to you?” Race asked curiously, his gaze clearly noting the bandages on her knee and wrist. Maggie blushed, embarrassed that everyone was watching her.

“There was a little accident yesterday,” Price answered grimly. “Why don’t we discuss it over breakfast?”

*JQJQJQJQ*


	3. The Shadow she Saw

Chapter Three: The Shadow She Saw

They gathered around the kitchen table while Maggie and Price ate. Jonny, Race, and Jessie had eaten earlier that morning. “Where is Uncle Benton?” Maggie wondered, “and Hadji, too.”

“They decided to stay in Nigeria and work out the major bugs in a system they set up for a friend of Dr. Quest’s,” Jessie told her. “Why?”

“I wanted to talk to him. I have a rather large problem, which is why I’m here in the middle of the week instead of at school,” she explained. Jonny gave her a questioning look. “Someone’s trying to kill me.”

“Someone’s _what_?” Jonny asked, incredulous.

“Explain,” Race ordered.

“I was followed home from the library two nights ago, and I found a threatening message on my answering machine. I left for Maine right away, thinking I’d be safe here, but I was followed again, and I was shot at in the train station.”

“I was just getting home on leave when I saw some maniac shooting in the station,” Price picked up the story. “I was surprised when I saw Maggie hiding from the shooter. When she explained, I came with her.”

“What about that?” Race demanded, indicating Maggie’s bandages.

“We took two snowmobiles out yesterday, and we were shot at- on the trail that runs through the property. Maggie flipped her snowmobile trying to escape. I think the gunman stopped; there were footprints and an extra tread mark when I got there. Whoever it was probably thought she was dead. I thought she was, at first.” Price’s expression was grave.

“I don’t know if he did or not,” Maggie said. “I passed out. The next thing I remember, Price was asking me if I could hear him.”

“You really are related to Jonny,” Race said after a moment. “You have the same amazing dumb luck.”

“Not so lucky,” Maggie said, “I hurt my knee and I can hardly walk on it, and I think I badly sprained my wrist. I couldn’t drive my snowmobile back, so it’s still sitting out there in the field.”

“We’ll go get it later,” Race said. “Right now, though, I should take a look under those bandages.” He knelt down on the floor next to Maggie and peeled back the gauze on her knee. “That attack would explain the level three security,” Race said. “Did you fix that up?” he asked Price. Price nodded. “You did a good job. I think a doctor should see it, though.” Race put the gauze back in place then turned his attention to her wrist, unwrapping the ace bandage carefully. “You did the right thing coming here, even if it did throw me for a loop.”

“You should have seen his face when Iris demanded identification at the front gates,” Jessie said. Race squelched the snickering with a raised eyebrow and a pointed look. Jonny and Jessie failed dismally at trying to look contrite. Maggie yelped suddenly when Race finished unwrapping her wrist and pressed lightly on the bruised flesh beneath the wrappings. Everyone turned to look. 

“I think we should take you into the emergency room,” Race said seriously. “Your wrist is broken.” Maggie looked over at Price. He was looking at the purple bruises around her wrist. When he met her gaze, she winced at his angry look. Jessie and Jonny looked between the two. They were sure there was going to be some yelling, but neither Price nor Maggie said a word. “Let’s go, kids. Everyone comes. It’s too dangerous for anyone to hang around here alone.” Race carefully lifted Maggie up in his arms and carried her from the kitchen.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Several hours later, a nurse wheeled Maggie into the emergency waiting room. She had a fresh cast on her arm, and a brace on her knee. She looked exhausted. Maggie signed the release forms, and she was taken out to the Quest van. Race lifted her in as the nurse gave Maggie a warning.

“Remember, don’t overexert yourself and be careful on that knee, especially right away. Dr. Carson’s orders.”

“Yes, Nurse Mabel,” she acknowledged. The others climbed into the van as Nurse Mabel gave a satisfactory nod, and they were on their way home.

“What took so long?” Jonny asked as they drove away from the hospital.

“My wrist was swollen, and I couldn’t stand all the prodding at it. Dr. Carson kept plying me with painkillers, but they didn’t work,” Maggie explained. “Then she looked at my knee. The cut nicked my patellar ligament, which is why it hurts so much to walk. I have no idea what Dr. Carson did to my knee at that point because the painkillers finally kicked in. I still feel a bit loopy.”

“How long do you have to wear the knee brace?” Jessie asked with a laugh.

“A couple of months, until the physical therapy I’ll have to go through is over. The cast comes off in six weeks. Dr. Carson told me not to walk on my knee for at least two weeks, and with my left wrist broken, no crutches. I hate feeling helpless,” Maggie sighed dismally.

Jessie was listening to Maggie when she noticed a pair of headlights behind them reflecting in the mirror. At first, she ignored them, but as they drove farther and farther from town, she paid more and more attention to them. When everyone was silent, Jessie concentrated to see if the lights would turn off somewhere.

“Dad,” she said slowly, “have you noticed the headlights behind us? I think that car is following us.”

“I think you’re right, Ponchita,” Race said looking into the rearview mirror for the hundredth time. He, too, had noticed the headlights. “I hope everyone’s wearing their seatbelt. Things might get bumpy.” Maggie unconsciously pulled at her shoulder strap to make sure she was securely buckled in. Some of the others did the same. Now all eyes were on the headlights in the rearview mirror.

As the van neared a part of the road that wound along the seaside cliffs, the vehicle behind them came in closer. It was gradual, so as not to look suspicious, but they were already aware of its approach. The vehicle started to inch up toward the back bumper, then started to pass the Quest van on the double yellow line.

“Oh no you don’t, buddy,” Race said as he pressed the gas pedal to the floor. The van shot around a curve in the road, cutting off the large pick-up behind them. Race moved the van into the center of the road to keep the pick-up from coming up beside them.

“They’re trying to run us off the road, aren’t they?” Maggie asked, trying to keep her fear from her voice.

“Not if I can help it,” Race declared. The speeding van neared a blind curve. Race eased the automobile into the correct lane in case anyone was coming from the other way. The driver of the pick-up took his opportunity and slid in between the cliff wall and the Quest van. The only thing separating the van from the drop to the ocean was a little cable guardrail. The pick-up slammed into the side of the van, and the van scraped along the guardrail. Race fought against the driver of the pick-up, and the pick-up relented to set up another hit.

“There’s no guardrail up there!” Jessie exclaimed pointing through the windshield. “If he hits us there, we’ll go over!” Everyone looked. She was right. Someone had taken the time to cut the cables; which was no small feat.

“Hold on!” shouted Race. Slamming on the brakes, he cranked the wheel to the left. The van skidded into a turn, whipping the vehicle around, and finally stopped with a screech of the tires. The passengers looked up, amazed they had not spun off the road and over the cliff. Race gunned the engine, heading in the direction they had just come.

“Where are we going now?” Price asked. “How are we going to get back to the Compound?”

“We’re going to beat whoever that was to the other road,” Jonny said.

“Other road?” Maggie asked in confusion.

“It was built years ago, for emergency use. The entrance is just up ahead. Guess you never knew about it,” Jonny said. “If we can get just far enough ahead of that truck, it will look like we disappeared. Security will keep them from coming in after us if our little disappearing act doesn’t work.” Jonny watched out the back window as the pick-up turned around and came after them. The van started to go around a curve, and surprisingly, Race was slowing the van down. “Now, Race!” Jonny shouted. Race turned off into the woods. 

“Jessie, pull out the laptop and tell Iris to guard the perimeter of the compound,” Race instructed as he drove forward through the snow, in among the evergreen trees. 

“Got it, Dad,” she said pulling the laptop from the space under her seat. She flipped it open and logged on, connecting to the Questworld mainframe via a satellite link. Maggie turned in her seat to look out the rear window. The dense, heavily needled branches were concealing them completely from the road. “Just a few seconds…there,” Jessie said tapping away at the keypad. “Level four security is activated. That should keep the pick-up from coming in after us.” Race nodded, navigating the Quest van along the narrow, snow covered driveway. 

A few minutes later he was pulling the van into the garage at the main house. Jonny bounded out of the van and ran to the computer station on the wall of the garage. He opened the wall panel and asked Iris for a situation report.

“Situation: Normal,” Iris could be heard saying. “No entries or exits since 10:27 a.m. Level four security activated, authorization, Jessica Bannon.”

“10:27, that’s when we left,” Jonny said. “Everything is fine here.”

“Good,” Race said. “For now, you kids go find something indoors to do. I’m going to call Benton and find out what he has to say about all of this.”

“How about we go to the lighthouse?” Jonny said. “Maggie, you haven’t played Maze Demons in a while.”

“I’d rather stay in the main house. I’ll feel safer there.” Maggie was carefully making her way out of the van. “Besides, I can’t walk that far.”

“That reminds me,” Price said. “You’re supposed to stay off that knee for at least two weeks.” He picked her up and followed after Race. Jonny shut the van door and he and Jessie followed after Price and Maggie.

*JQJQJQJQ*

They spent most of the day playing Monopoly. Race hadn’t been able to contact Dr. Quest, and was pacing the living room, waiting until a suitable amount of time had passed before trying again. Jonny finally won Monopoly. By then Maggie was exhausted and had Price bring her up to her room so she could take a nap. She lay awake for a long time, until there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” she called. Jessie’s head poked around the corner. “Hi, what’s up?”

“Jonny and Price are being annoying, so I thought if you weren’t sleeping, I could hang out in here.” Maggie motioned her in, laughing. “Of course, Jonny _always_ annoys me,” Jessie said. Maggie laughed again. “Things started out as a Monopoly rematch, but somehow it turned into a bragging contest. And they’re _enjoying_ it, the egotistical jerks. I used to think Price was a nice guy, but it turns out he’s just like Jonny: they both have over inflated opinions of themselves.”

“Tell me about it,” Maggie said. “Yesterday, before we went out on the snowmobiles, Price asked me if I liked him in his uniform. He said ‘most girls like men in uniforms.’ Of course, he meant himself.”

“What did you say?” Jessie asked.

“I told him I wasn’t most girls.” They both laughed. “Actually, he does look good in uniform, but never tell him I said that.”

“I promise,” Jessie agreed with a grin. Then she turned a little more serious. “You like him, don’t you?”

“Well, kind of, yeah,” Maggie said. Her face was turning bright pink.

“Kind of!” Jessie exclaimed pointing to her face.

“Okay, so I like him. So what?” Maggie said defensively.

“You know something?” Jessie said, “I think he’s falling for you. Don’t you ever notice the way he looks at you?” Maggie shook her head. 

“How does he look at me?” Maggie asked curiously.

“Like someone hit him over the head with a brick,” Jessie said with a grin. “This morning, when my dad carried you out to the van, he was jealous. And I’ll bet he didn’t even think twice about coming here with you, rather than going home to see his mother-” Suddenly they heard a sneeze from outside the door. Jessie and Maggie looked at one another in surprise.

“Go,” Maggie whispered, pointing at the door. Jessie jumped up and ran, flinging the door open to reveal Jonny standing on the other side. “Jonny! How long have you been listening?”

“Gotta go. Price might be interested in what I have to tell him.” Jonny dashed down the hall with a laugh. Jessie chased after him.

“Get him, Jessie!” Maggie called after them. “Don’t relent until he promises to keep what he heard to himself!” Maggie laughed to herself as she listened to Jessie chase Jonny down the stairs and through the rooms of the lower level of the house. A few minutes later, Price came into her room.

“Do you have any idea why Jessie is chasing Jonny around like a mad woman?” Price inquired, shaking his head as a crash sounded from below.

“Yes,” Maggie said matter-of-factly. “She’s chasing him because I can’t.”

“Why would you go chasing after Jonny? What did he do?”

“The sneak was eavesdropping,” Maggie said as she carefully pulled herself up to sit more upright against the pillows on her bed. Price nodded in understanding.

“That explains it,” Price said with a smile. “Do you want to go downstairs?”

“No, thanks. I want to stay up here until supper. Watching Race Bannon pace up and down makes me nervous.” Price settled into the chair by the desk, and sat back comfortably.

“Me too,” he agreed. At that moment, Bandit wandered into the room. He walked up to the side of Maggie’s bed, stopped, and looked up at her.

“Come on, boy,” Maggie said patting a place on the bed beside her. Bandit jumped up and curled up next to her, licking her hand. She pet him affectionately. “How come you aren’t tearing around after Jonny and Jessie?” Maggie asked the little dog. Bandit just looked up at her with big eyes. “I know what you mean, boy,” she said with a laugh. Then a comfortable silence settled over them as they listened to the chase going on below.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Jonny dashed into the living room from the library, Jessie hot on his tail. He ran up to Race, who was still pacing, and used him as a barrier between himself and Jessie. Jessie lunged one way then the other around her father, trying to grab onto Jonny, determined to catch him.

“Will you kids settle down?” Race asked in annoyance. “Go somewhere else and leave me out of this.”

“Sure thing, Race,” Jonny said, dashing around the side of the couch.

“Come back here, Jonny!” Jessie demanded chasing after him.

*JQJQJQJQ*

That evening, Maggie sat on a stool watching Jessie put away dishes as Jonny handed them to her, washed and dried. Jessie had finally caught him, and after extracting a vow of silence from him through her own brand of torture, he was penalized for his transgression and assigned the task of doing dishes- by hand. To his credit, he was a good sport and didn’t complain. When the job was done, they retired to the library where Race had decided to resume his pacing. Though they tried to play a game of cards, the atmosphere was tense, and everyone turned in earlier than usual because of it.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Maggie suddenly woke up and sat up in bed, looking around her room. She listened intently to the sounds of the night. As far as she could tell, there was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. Whatever had roused her from her sleep was a mystery to her.

Wide awake now, she decided to sit by the window until she was tired enough to go back to sleep. Using the furniture to steady herself, she managed to hop her way to the chair beside the window. Sitting down, she gingerly touched her injured knee. It was really sore. Carefully, she massaged the joint around the cut, then leaned back in the chair with a blanket around her shoulders and gazed blankly out into the dark night.

The moon slowly rose, its silvery light shining through the many panes of glass of the large Georgian window, creating a grid pattern on the floor. It was a beautiful night, and as the moon rose higher, it illuminated the scene beyond the glass. Maggie was startled when she saw a figure emerge from the dark, shadowy woods. The figure walked along, frequently looking at the house.

Fear crept over her as the figure stopped and seemed to stare right at her. Maggie got up and hobbled to the wall as fast as she could, regardless of the doctor’s orders to keep off of her knee. Jonny’s room was right next door, and Maggie knocked on the wall their two rooms shared.

“Just a minute,” came the muffled sound of Jonny’s voice. Maggie rushed back to the window to see if the figure was still there. Whoever it had been was gone. Maggie was standing there shivering when Jonny came through her door.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Jonny asked, staring at Maggie. She motioned him to come over to the window.

“I saw someone,” she whispered. “They came out of the woods and walked along the tree line. Whoever it was stopped and looked right at me. I’m scared.”

“Are you sure you saw someone?” Jonny asked, raising his eyebrows in doubt. “You weren’t just dreaming it?”

“I saw it,” Maggie assured him. “I ran over to the wall to call you, and when I got back to the window, the person was gone.” Jonny looked out into the moonlit night. Security was set to level four. No one could get onto the grounds without Iris sounding an alert- provided the intruder could get past Iris’ defenses. He looked at his cousin. She seemed so certain…

“I’ll check it out in the morning. If there was someone there, I’ll find tracks. For now, though, security is on, and we’re safe inside the house. Why don’t you go back to bed and get some sleep? It’s been a long day.”

“I don’t know if I can,” Maggie told him. “I’m scared.” 

“How about if I crash in here,” Jonny suggested thoughtfully. “I can get some extra blankets and sleep on the floor. Would that make you feel better?” Maggie nodded, and smiled faintly.

“You’re the best,” Maggie gave her seventeen-year-old cousin a hug. She hobbled back to her bed while Jonny got the extra blankets and some pillows from his room. He made up a comfortable place to sleep on the far side of her bed on the floor. Bandit came along with him, and curled up on the blankets beside Maggie.

“Bandit, you traitor,” Jonny said with a smile. He didn’t really mind. He knew Maggie needed the little dog’s comfort more than he did. “Goodnight, Maggie.”

“Goodnight, Jonny.”

*JQJQJQJQ*

Something was over Maggie’s face. She couldn’t open her eyes, and she tried to call out, but she couldn’t catch her breath. Struggling, she tried to push whatever it was off of her. It wouldn’t budge. She could feel something heavy pressing down on her chest, and she started kicking under her blankets, trying to get it off. As her air ran out, she felt her limbs become heavy, and it became harder to move. Slowly slipping into unconsciousness, she could hear the faint barks of Bandit who had been sleeping next to her on the bed.

*JQJQJQJQ*


	4. Intruder

Chapter Four: Intruder

Rudely awakened by Bandit’s yips, Jonny sat up on the floor, pushing the blankets of his makeshift bed out of his way. He looked up at the bed to tell his dog to shut up when he saw a tall man with dark hair keeping his cousin pinned down on the bed with his knee on her chest, holding a pillow to her face. 

“Get off of her!” Jonny shouted as he sprang on top of the intruder. He grabbed him by the neck, and pulled back hard, toppling them both onto the floor. Bandit, loyal to his master, bit into the intruder’s ankle. “Get him, boy!” Jonny encouraged as he wiggled out from under the heavy man’s body.

Maggie felt a rush of fresh air on her face. The pillow was gone. She took a deep breath, and was quickly revived. She sat up and shook her head, clearing her mind. She saw Jonny struggling on the floor with the intruder.

“Leave him alone!” she demanded. She reached out and grabbed the man’s dark hair, pulling his head back, giving Jonny the opportunity to escape the man’s grasp. She was stunned to see the gunman from the train station staring back at her. She screamed and let him go in terror.

The intruder stood slowly and stared at the cousins, each in turn. That look turned Maggie’s blood cold with fear. Jonny saw it too, but he didn’t flinch. Instead, Jonny rushed the man in black. The man shoved Jonny into the wall, easily fending off the attack, and ran toward the window. “You two may have escaped, but I got one of you!” he shouted as he went right through the window, glass and splintered wood flying everywhere.

The cousins watched as the man leaped. Jonny dragged himself from the floor where he was slumped against the wall, and ran to the window. He looked down at the ground and saw the dark figure below get up and run into the trees. He was gone. For now.

“What did he mean, he got one of us?” Maggie wondered as Jonny turned back to face her. He shrugged. They both looked down at Bandit who was dashing back and forth between them, barking like mad.

“What is it boy?” Jonny asked. Bandit ran to the door and stood waiting for Jonny and Maggie to follow. Maggie got off the bed and opened the door for Bandit. He ran into the dark, open doorway of the room directly across from Jonny’s. Ignoring the pain in her knee, Maggie followed Bandit and Jonny. “That’s Price’s room,” Jonny said, confused. Maggie nodded. They followed Bandit inside.

“Price!” she gasped when she saw him lying in a heap on the floor. As quickly as she could, she was beside him, lowering herself onto her uninjured knee while Jonny turned Price onto his back.

In the dim light from the window, several cuts were visible on his face; one particularly large gash above his eye, and a bleeding split lower lip. Also visible were the newly forming bruises along his jaw, under his eye, and the side of one cheek. He’d been badly beaten. And, they both saw, he didn’t appear to be breathing. Maggie started to feel a lump of fear rise in her throat. Jonny carefully shifted Price to make sure his airway was open. 

“He’s alive,” Jonny said as Price took an audible breath. Maggie let out a relieved sigh. Jonny caught Maggie’s gaze. “Will you be all right here by yourself?” he asked. “I’m going to get Jessie. I need to check on something.”

“Be careful, Jonny,” Maggie warned, looking at him suspiciously.

“Hey, this is me we’re talking about,” Jonny said. “I’m always careful.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Maggie said with a forced laugh. Jonny flashed her his famous crooked grin, and left. Bandit, who had watched the whole exchange, trotted up to Maggie and sat down beside her. She gave him an affectionate pat on the head. If Jonny’s faithful little dog wasn’t worried about his master, Maggie decided there wasn’t anything for her to worry about, either.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Jonny ran down the hall to Jessie’s room. He opened her door as quietly as he could. Silently, he approached the bed where Jessie lay sleeping.

“Jess!” Jonny whispered loudly. “Wake up!” Jessie’s eyes opened, and she stared at Jonny in bewilderment.

“This had better be good, Jonny,” she warned when she realized it wasn’t morning. “I was having a really good dream.”

“Get up. We’ve got trouble. Someone got inside the compound. He beat Price up pretty bad, then tried to kill Maggie. She’s with Price right now.” Jonny backed away while he spoke when Jessie flung her covers aside. “Let’s get our boots and coats. We’re going to follow that guy.”

Jessie followed Jonny quietly down the stairs. They collected their outdoor clothes from the hooks by the kitchen door before slipping outside into the moonlit night. Jonny led Jessie around to the back of the house. They would pick up the intruder’s trail below Maggie’s window. If they were very lucky, they might find something. Both of them knew it was risky, but it was also dangerous to let the man run free. He might try something again, and the next time, he might just succeed.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Once Jonny was gone, Maggie managed to get up and hobble into the bathroom Price shared with the empty room next door. Blindly, she felt for the light switch, but when she flipped it on, nothing happened. Maggie tried turning it off and on again. Nothing. She crossed Price’s room and tried the switch by the bedroom door. Still nothing.

“There’s no storm to knock the power out,” Maggie mumbled to herself uneasily. “Maybe there’s a blown fuse?” Somehow, she didn’t think so. She went back into the bathroom and pulled a washcloth from the linen closet, then wet it in the sink. She returned to Price’s side and carefully wiped the blood away from his face. Getting up again, she went back into the bathroom to rinse out the cloth, then returned to clean Price’s cuts. He looked much better for her efforts, and he was beginning to wake. Maggie sat next to him on the floor, petting Bandit, letting her thoughts drift, waiting for Price to come to. She felt a gentle touch. Turning, she saw Price looking up at her, his hand resting in the crook of her arm.

“I’m so glad you decided to rejoin the world,” she told him. He smiled, then grimaced, holding his hand to his head. “Don’t try to move around too much,” Maggie advised, “You were beaten pretty badly.”

“I need to sit up. Help me,” Price said. Maggie held onto him as he sat up slowly and leaned against the side of the bed. He rested for a few moments, holding his side, before he spoke again. “The man from the train station- he’s here.”

“I know,” Maggie said. “He tried to kill me again. Jonny stopped him, but he got away.”

“Are you all right?” Price asked her with concern.

“Compared to you, I got off easy,” she said with a faint smile. Price patted the floor beside him, and Maggie scooted over to sit with him against the bed. Slowly, Price slipped his arm around her waist and leaned against her.

“If anything had happened to you…” he whispered, unable to finish his sentence. Maggie leaned into him, too.

“I’m just glad _you’re_ okay,” she whispered. Their eyes locked, and Price leaned closer. Maggie was sure he was going to kiss her. Her heart was racing in anticipation, and more, when the corners of Price’s mouth turned up in a slight smile. Bandit suddenly started to bark excitedly, breaking the spell. Price quickly pulled away from Maggie. She sighed, resigned, as Bandit ran to the open door. Maggie and Price heard a familiar voice greet Bandit.

“Hey, boy. What were you doing in Price’s room?” Race Bannon asked the little dog. Bandit ran back into the room and stood barking in front of Maggie and Price. Race was right behind him. “What the Sam Hill happened to you?” he exclaimed when he saw Price’s face in his flashlight beam.

“There was a break-in,” Maggie said. “It was the same guy who tried to shoot me in Acosta. He did this to Price,” she indicated his cut and bruised face, “then he went into my room and tried to kill me. Didn’t Jonny tell you?”

“No, he didn’t. Where is he, anyway?” Race asked her.

“He said he was going to wake up Jessie. I thought he’d wake you up, too,” Maggie said, concerned. Race shook his head, a scowl on his face.

“If I know Jonny, he and Jessie went after that guy,” Race said quietly. “In fact, I know they did. They must have made the noise that woke me up. They might be biting off more than they can chew this time.”

“Are you going after them?” Price asked, struggling to get to his feet. Maggie pulled herself up using the bed, then she and Race helped Price stand.

“You gonna be okay?” Race asked Price, unsure if he should let go of the young man’s arm.

“Yeah, fine,” Price said with a grimace and a nod. Race let go of him, but Price continued to lean on Maggie for a few moments. Finally, he straightened. “I gather the power is out,” he said, glancing at Race’s flashlight. Both Race and Maggie nodded. “Is there a backup generator?” Race nodded.

“You two head out to the lighthouse, if you can manage it,” Race said with a worried sideways glance at both Price and Maggie, “The generators are in the basement. I’m going after Jessie and Jonny.”

“Check my room,” Maggie suggested. “The attacker escaped through my window. If they followed him, you’ll see three sets of tracks in the snow.” Race nodded, then hurried out of the room.

*JQJQJQJQ*

“He went in that direction,” Jonny said pointing toward the trees. “I watched from the window until he was gone.” He and Jessie trudged through the seven-inch-deep snow alongside the tracks made by the intruder.

“He’s in really good shape,” Jonny commented, breathing hard from the exertion of chasing after him. “Judging by the space between footprints, I’d say he was still running when he got to this point, and it looks like he kept on running.”

“Any ideas where he might be headed?” Jessie asked. “There’s nothing out here. There’s no place to go.”

“That’s not what I’m wondering, not where, but _how_ ,” Jonny stated thoughtfully. “How did this guy get past security? Iris should have detected him long before he could have reached the house.”

“Good question,” Jessie agreed. “I’d like to know the answer to that myself.”

“Maybe we should stop by the lighthouse on the way back,” Jonny said. “I wonder if someone’s been tampering with the mainframe.” Jessie nodded, her own thoughts echoing Jonny’s.

In the distance, they heard the sound of an engine start. A second engine started right after the first. Jonny and Jessie looked to one another.

“They’re getting away!” Jonny shouted. They started to run. The engines revved, and started to drive off.

“It sounds like they’re on snowmobiles,” Jessie shouted. They put on more speed, but it was useless. The sound of the engines grew faint as the machines got farther away. There was no hope of catching them.

“Man!” Jonny exclaimed in disappointment. “They got away.” 

“We should still keep going,” Jessie said. “They might have left us a clue.”

“Or something nasty,” Jonny pointed out. Jessie shrugged.

Soon, they came to a small clearing. The footprints ended right next to the track of a snowmobile. Not more than ten feet away was another track. Both of the tracks made a loop in the clearing and headed back the way they had come. But next to the second set of treads was something more interesting. A second set of footprints heading toward the house. Jessie and Jonny stared at each other. There hadn’t been one intruder, there had been two.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Getting around wasn’t much trouble for Price now that he was up off the floor. Sure, his head still ached and his face still hurt, and he could still feel where every blow had landed, but it didn’t hinder his ability to get around…much. Maggie, on the other hand, was clearly in pain as she hobbled down the front stairs, forcing herself to walk on her injured knee. Price wished he could carry her downstairs, like he’d done so easily the day before, but he knew he just couldn’t do it right now. He tried to content himself with supporting some of her weight while she helped steady his wobbly balance as they took the stairs together. Race caught up to them in the kitchen.

“Jonny and Jessie did go after the assassin,” Race said abruptly. “He handed Price a flashlight. “Get to the lighthouse as quickly as you can,” he instructed. “Lock yourselves in, then get those generators going. Maggie, see if you can get Iris on line, and get the security turned back on.” Maggie nodded, watching him while he pulled on his boots and coat. Then he unlocked a special cabinet just inside the garage and pulled out a tranquilizer gun and some darts. When he stepped back into the kitchen, he saw Maggie and Price staring at him. “Those kids don’t know what they might be up against,” he said. Then he walked out the kitchen door, not bothering to close it behind him.

“He’s wrong, you know,” Maggie said softly to Price. “Jonny and Jessie do know what they’re up against. That man who tried to kill me, he’s killed before. I saw it in his eyes, and Jonny saw it, too. I swear Jonny’s seen it before.”

*JQJQJQJQ*

Race followed Jonny and Jessie’s tracks from the kitchen door out to the back of the house. He saw where the intruder had landed after vaulting out Maggie’s window. Shaking his head at the stupidity of Jonny and Jessie’s chase, he pressed on, following the three sets of fresh tracks in the snow.

Entering into the woods, Race could hear the distant sound of snowmobiles starting up and racing through the trees. Worry weighing on his mind, he took off at a run. In a minute, the sound of the snowmobiles faded completely away. All he could think about was finding his daughter and Jonny Quest safe and sound.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Once inside the lighthouse, Maggie and Price locked the door and barricaded it with a desk. No one was getting in without them knowing it. Maggie knew more about Questworld and Iris than Price did, but what she knew wasn’t a whole lot. She limped around the room on her knee, holding a flashlight to the many computer panels lining a section of the wall.

“Here,” Maggie said. “This panel turns the whole system on. But there’s no power. The indicator lights are all dark. We need to get the generators on.” She looked around the big room. “There’s just one problem,” she said. “I don’t know how to get to the basement.” Price laughed, then groaned because it hurt.

“If we look around, we’ll find it,” he said. Maggie nodded, and they started searching. “What’s behind this door?” Price asked tiredly, holding the flashlight up to illuminate the door in question. Maggie shrugged.

“I don’t know,” she said honestly. “Open it and see.” 

“I can’t,” Price admitted reluctantly. “There’s an electronic number pad on the lock. No power, of course.”

“Then that probably isn’t the place they keep the backup generators,” Maggie said cynically. “Keep looking.” After covering every inch of the room, they still had no idea how to get down into the basement. Maggie limped dejectedly toward the VR bubble to sit in one of the chairs. She hadn’t taken more than two steps, and she tripped over a mat on the floor. Luckily, she managed to land on her hip and catch herself with her right hand without injuring herself again. A look of irritation crossed her face as she picked herself up off the floor, careful of her arm. _“Damn knee,”_ she thought to herself in total frustration. Then an idea struck her. “Price! Help me move this mat out of the way.” Price gave her a look that implied she was losing it.

“What for?” he asked.

“Just help me,” she said in a no-nonsense way. Price shrugged and went to help. “As Jonny would say, Slammin!” Maggie shouted in triumph as a trap door was revealed. “I give you the way into the basement!” She indicated the trap door with a flourish of her hand.

“How did you know it was there?” Price asked.

“I didn’t, but when I tripped over the mat, I wondered.” Maggie stopped talking as she put her fingers into the groove of the grip, and pulled, sliding the trap door open to reveal a flight of stairs going down. Price led the way with his flashlight, and Maggie followed slowly, having trouble with her knee. Once at the bottom, Price and Maggie looked around in awe with the flashlight.

“There must be enough power generators down here to light an entire city,” Price said amazed. “How the hell do we turn all this on?” he was very relieved they had found the generators, but all the various control panels and switches and levers brought all the frustration flooding back.

“How about the ‘on’ switch,” Maggie suggested laughing, pointing to the control panel by the stairs.

“Oh, of course,” Price complained, “It just had to be that obvious. I was expecting something more complex, knowing your uncle.” Maggie laughed again, and Price went and flipped the switch. The generators began to hum, and in a few seconds, the lights in the basement came on.

“Now we just have to turn on the power in the areas we want,” Maggie said indicating a row of labeled buttons. “Let’s get the computers up and running first.” Price pushed the button labeled ‘lighthouse’ and they could hear the computers kick in on the floor above them.

“Okay,” Price said. “What next? The main house?” Maggie agreed, and he pressed that button. “Security is a must. Then I say we get power to the garage. That should do for the night. If Race wants anything more, he can turn it on himself.”

Finished with that, Price helped Maggie up the steps and into Questworld Center. Maggie sat down at the main console, and logged into the main computers, starting up the whole system.

“Identify user,” came the voice of Iris.

“It’s good to hear that voice again,” Maggie said with relief. “Authorization, Maggie Hardy,” She said to the computer.

“Verifying voice patterns,” Iris stated. Maggie waited a few seconds for Iris to run the check. “Voice patterns confirmed.”

“Activate security, level two,” Maggie said.

“Level two security, initiated,” Iris said.

“Now all we can do is wait,” Maggie said.

*JQJQJQJQ*

It seemed to Race that he had been running through the snow for hours chasing after the two teenagers. Out of nowhere they appeared, walking side by side, heading back toward the house.

“Where the Sam Hill have you two been?” Race demanded. “Are you two crazy, chasing after a murderer?” Jessie ran up to him and gave him a hug.

“We didn’t mean to worry you, Dad,” Jessie apologized. “We were just following him, to see where he was going.”

“I know,” Race said, glad that they were alright. “Next time you should come get me before trying anything dangerous.”

“We promise, Race,” Jonny said.

“Come on,” Race said, motioning for the two teens to follow him. “It looks like the power was cut. That’s how out intruder got in. Maggie and Price should have the backup generators running about now. They’re waiting for us in the lighthouse.”

*JQJQJQJQ*

Maggie was watching for them when Race, Jessie, and Jonny appeared on the path from the house. She greeted Jonny and Jessie with hugs, then they followed Race to the main computers. Jessie sat down at the console and made sure everything was running properly, then Race took over to modify some of the security specifications. Once that was done, Race and Jonny went to the garage for a large piece of plywood and some tools to cover Maggie’s broken window. Jessie, Maggie, and Price headed back to the house ahead of them.

With no other pressing matters that needed immediate attention, and three hours left until morning, everyone went back to bed. Maggie slept in Jessie’s room, not comfortable being alone after the most recent attempt on her life. She was not the only member of the household who did not sleep easily.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Location: Camden-Rockport Depot, Maine

“That was the longest trip I have ever taken,” Dr. Quest said to Hadji as he and the young man stepped down onto the platform at the train station. “I’ll be glad to get home. That is, _if_ nothing serious is wrong.”

“That message was quite vague,” Hadji agreed. “I wonder why Race asked us to return home so early?”

“We’ll find out soon enough,” Dr. Quest said. “Let’s go get a cab.” Dr. Quest and Hadji walked away from the train they had just disembarked and headed for the taxi lane out in front of the station. When they got there, there were several taxis waiting for passengers to hire them.

“Need a ride?” asked one of the drivers.

“Yes, as a matter of fact,” Dr. Quest said.

“Hop in, I’ll take you where you wanna go,” the driver said hitching his thumb over his shoulder toward his cab. He stowed the luggage in the trunk and went around to the driver’s side door and climbed in. Hadji and Benton were already waiting for him.

“Take us to the Quest Compound, off the coastal highway on the east side of Rockport,” Dr. Quest instructed the driver as the car started in motion.

“We’ll just see about that,” the driver said. He reached over and pressed a button on a console on the dashboard. A plate of bulletproof glass slid up between the front and back seats.

“What are you doing?” Hadji asked as the glass sealed tightly into the roof. Both he and Dr. Quest watched helplessly as the driver reached over and pressed another button. Suddenly, the backseat started to fill with some kind of gas.

“Hurry! Try the doors!” Dr. Quest shouted. He and Hadji pulled at the door handles. They were locked in and the gas was getting thicker. Struggling to get out, they tried not to breathe in the gas, but it was no use. Soon, they were both slumped over in the backseat, unconscious.

*JQJQJQJQ*


	5. Enemy's Return

Chapter Five: Enemy’s Return

Location: Quest Compound, Rockport, Maine

The next morning dawned crisp and cold. There was a thin layer of clouds in the sky, so thin the sun appeared as a hazy, glowing orb. There wasn’t much of a chance of snow on such a day, but the temperatures promised to remain low.

Race, Price, and Jessie went out that morning to find the cause of the previous night’s power failure. Driving down the driveway, they discovered a downed line just outside the compound. It appeared to be the result of a fallen tree, but the tree had been deliberately cut. Back at the house, Race called the power company via a cellular phone. They assured Race they would be out right away, and the workers arrived late that morning to repair the wire.

Jonny completely surprised everyone by volunteering to clean up the glass shards from the broken window in Maggie’s room. Maggie had been banished to the living room, where she was to remain on the couch in her comfy, stretchy track suit until further notice. She’d disobeyed doctor’s orders by walking on her knee, with good reason to be sure, and now she was in quite a bit of pain because of it.

Once the power line crews were gone, Jessie sat in the living room with Maggie, a laptop in front of her, going through the Questworld systems and making sure nothing was damaged in the power failure. Race resumed his pacing, also in the living room, still unable to contact Dr. Quest. Neither provided good company, so, Price rescued her, assisting her upstairs to his own room where they sat on the end of the bed, a Chinese Checkers board between them. The game wasn’t terribly exciting, though, with the previous night’s events heavy on their minds.

“Benton Quest and Hadji Singh entering security-controlled area,” Iris’ voice interrupted the quiet of the house. In accordance with the level four security, the announcement could be heard in every part of the house.

”What on earth?” Maggie said, looking up at Price. “I thought they were still in Nigeria. Race couldn’t reach them. Why are they home?”

“Want to go downstairs and find out?” Price asked. Maggie nodded and Price, somewhat stiffly, stood to help Maggie stand. She held onto him, and he winced when she pressed against a bruise. Arms around each other’s waists, Price half carried Maggie as she hobbled to the top of the stairs. Bandit, who seemed to always be near the young woman lately, followed close behind.

Just as they started down the steps, Hadji and Benton burst in through the front door. Strangely, Bandit wasn’t barking happily in greeting. Instead, he was growling menacingly, his hackles raised. Maggie and Price paused on the steps, confused by the dog’s unusual behavior. It was that moment when the answer stepped through the door behind Dr. Quest and Hadji: it was Connor Hovand III.

“Father!” Price exclaimed. In his surprise, he drew back, upsetting Maggie’s precarious balance, nearly sending her down the stairs. He barely managed to keep his hold around her waist. Maggie, stunned to see Connor Hovand boldly looking up at them, hardly noticed the near miss. 

“I knew he wasn’t dead,” Jonny said from the living room where he, Jessie, and Race were being held at gunpoint by the train station gunman, his black clothes from the night before visible under the open trench coat. Connor Hovand looked around the room, his eyes meeting every gaze, then settling on Price.

“I’m surprised to see you here,” Connor said. He eyed Maggie, who was standing close to his son. “I must say, I’m disappointed in the company you’ve chosen to keep. I thought you’d have realized how poor a choice it was after last night.” Connor’s words may have been spoken with calm quiet, but they had an underlying sharp bite to them that angered Price more than the words themselves. Maggie knew he was angry, without taking her eyes off Connor, because his hold on her tightened rigidly until it actually hurt. It spoke volumes.

“Perhaps,” Price replied, his voice equally quiet and even, “you should turn around and leave, and take your friend with you.”

“I can’t do that,” Connor returned.

“Why not?” Price questioned. “You had no problem having me beaten. Walking away is trivial compared to that.” Connor was apparently not accustomed to being questioned by his son. His eyes narrow, his glare cold.

“This is no trivial matter. That girl _ruined_ me,” Connor said icily. His glare transferred quickly to Maggie. She flinched. “Because of her, I’ve lost everything. I’m forced to live under an assumed name, in hiding. She destroyed the company that took me decades to build. And now it seems she’s stolen my son-”

“She didn’t,” Price denied evenly. But Maggie’s outburst drowned him out.

“I stole your _son_?” Maggie was furious. “You kept my father and brother from me for twenty years and killed both my parents and you’re mad because you think I stole _your_ life? What about my life, the life I should have been sharing with my whole family, the life you robbed from _me_?”

“That’s irrelevant,” Connor said coldly, his eyes boring into hers. “You were supposed to have died years ago, when you were a baby, and it wasn’t your life to begin with.” Maggie stared at him blankly, in shock.

“You are a liar and a murderer,” Price said quietly. “That’s the only relevant truth.” Connor’s gaze transferred from Maggie, back to his son. “It was better when I thought you were dead. I can reconcile myself to a dead father. I can’t do that with what you’ve become.”

“Shut-up,” Connor said sharply. “I am no different than I was before. It’s you who had a skewed view of the world.” It was clear he was quickly tiring of the conversation. Jonny darted a glance at Hadji and Jessie. Jessie inclined her head in agreement, Hadji gave a nearly imperceptible nod. They moved, the three of them from different directions, and tackled the man in black, who had become distracted by the drama unfolding between Connor, Price, and Maggie. But Connor was not so inattentive. He moved to put an end to it, raised his gun, and fired a shot into the floor to get their attention before holding his gun to Dr. Quest’s head. “Get back, now,” Connor ordered. 

“Do what he says, kids,” Race warned, watching Connor carefully. He didn’t trust the man. Grudgingly, the three of them complied, and backed away from the man in black, who quickly retrieved his own gun.

“If any of you try a stunt like that again, Dr. Quest dies right here, right now.” He made sure no one was getting ideas, then, “Bring him in, now,” he called out. Two more men entered the house through the front door. One was holding a gun to the other. “Our little get-together just wouldn’t be complete without Devin.”

“Maggie! You’re all right. I heard a gunshot….” Matthew Hardy had never been happier to see anyone in his life. She smiled at him reassuringly. “And my name is not Devin,” he shot at Connor Hovand. “Not anymore. It’s Matthew _Hardy_.” Connor glared furiously at Matthew.

“Shut up!” he snapped. “Ungrateful whelp. I’m going to get rid of all of you.”

“Mass murder is a nasty crime to be charged with,” Race shot at Hovand, not liking the way the man was fixating on Maggie and Matthew. It did the trick, drawing the man’s attention away from them for a moment.

“Yes, it is,” Hovand agreed evenly. “Luckily, I won’t be charged. Authorities think I’m dead. And with all the enemies you and Dr. Quest have accumulated, the authorities won’t know who to pin it on.”

“You slime,” Jessie said, temper flaring. Hovand laughed. Jonny tensed, ready to strike out at Hovand if the chance presented itself.

“Jonny!” Dr. Quest’s voice caught the attention of his son. “No heroics.” Hovand laughed again as Jonny backed down.

“Tie them all up,” Connor said to a white clad gunman, the one who had brought Matthew in. He set to work, grabbing Bandit first, shoving him in the closet. Maggie recognized him as the man who had followed her to her dorm three nights before. And dressed in a white snowmobile suit, he was also the man who had tried to kill her the day of the snowmobile accident. He worked efficiently, and soon everyone was securely tied to heavy furniture except Matthew, Maggie, and Price.

“Now, Son,” Connor said evenly, “I’m going to give you one chance to redeem yourself. Come down here with that girl. Bring her to me.” Maggie felt Price’s grip on her tighten even more. She winced. Connor saw, and by his expression he thought it meant his son was about to comply. He smirked, a triumphant smirk.

“No,” Price said firmly. “I’m not going to let you hurt her.” Connor’s smirk went away. Maggie knew she would have bruises Price was holding her so tight.

“I said bring her down here,” Connor demanded. Price firmly shook his head. “Then you leave me little choice.” Connor mounted the stairs and approached the two that stood midway up. He held the gun level with Maggie’s chest. She let out an involuntary gasp. Price’s reaction was to shove Maggie behind him, shielding her with his own body. He hoped his father wouldn’t shoot his only son.

“Maggie, look out!” Jonny shouted a warning. She turned to see another, unknown man running down the few steps behind her. He had snuck around to the back stairs and came up behind them. He grabbed Price by the neck while Connor grabbed for Maggie and yanked hard on her arm until she came flying down the steps at him. He sidestepped her, narrowly avoiding a collision, and Maggie fell to the hardwood floor at the bottom of the steps.

“Maggie!” Matthew shouted as his twin sister landed in a heap. He started toward her, aware she was already injured, and could now be hurt worse.

“Stop!” shouted the man in black. Matthew froze as a shot rang out. The gun had been fired into the ceiling, and plaster came raining down on him. Maggie, now aching everywhere, propped herself up on an elbow, and looked up at her brother.

“I’m all right,” she said shakily. Connor came down the steps. The unknown gunman tied Price to the staircase railing. Then he descended the stairs and hauled Maggie to her feet, holding a gun to her head.

“You and Devin are going with us for a little walk,” Connor said. He prodded Matthew out the door. “The rest of you can burn in Hell- Price included.” Connor looked right at Price. “You are not my son anymore.” Then he exited the house. Maggie, Matthew, and their keepers followed him.

The man in white remained behind and started to pour gasoline around the room. He was watched silently while he finished his awful job, and headed for the door. With a glare and a triumphant smile, he lit a match and set it to the gasoline.

“I always did like bonfires,” the man in white laughed at his own snide remark as the flames flared up. He left the house as the fire spread rapidly along the gasoline-soaked furniture and floor.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Maggie was half carried and half pushed along the stone walkway when she couldn’t keep up with the pace. She looked back at her brother, the black clad gunman from the train station directing him with his gun. The man in white had just left the house. She wondered what he had been up to as he caught up to them.

Matthew barely noticed his sister. He was trying to figure out where Connor was taking them. He’d thought they’d return to the cars when they left the house, but they were heading the wrong way. Suddenly he understood. They were going to the big garage where his uncle housed a plethora of various vehicles, everything from a bicycle to a helicopter.

“What are you going to do to us?” Maggie asked, her eyes on the garage, too.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Hovand told her briskly. When they reached the garage, Maggie was dropped on the ground against the wall, and Matthew was forced to sit beside her. Connor Hovand stood over them with his gun pointed at them while his three henchmen got to work.

The man in white opened up the large doors, and the other two slipped inside. Maggie and Matthew heard an engine start. Moments later, the Quest Copter was wheeling out the doors on its motorized trolley. The black clad man from the train station was driving the trolley, and he set the chopper on the clear landing pad. The third man, the one they’d not seen before, was inside the helicopter’s cockpit. They realized the reason for his presence. He was the pilot.

Connor Hovand and the man in white urged Maggie and Matthew to their feet with their guns. Connor climbed in first, then watched while the children of his greatest enemy were loaded in for a one-way flight to their deaths. His remaining cohorts climbed in, too, as the pilot began preparations for take-off.

*JQJQJQJQ*

“Okay, Jonny, now would be a great time for one of your plans,” Jessie said as the flames licked at the bookcase right beside her. She was tied tightly to a heavy chair and couldn’t move. The gasoline fumes and smoke were near overpowering.

“I’m working on it,” Jonny replied, thinking hard. He was bound to another chair, the one that matched Jessie’s.

“Hurry it up,” Race said, looking through the haze at Hadji. “Hadji might beat you to it.” Hadji was concentrating hard, attempting to escape his bindings.

“I have an idea!” Jonny announced over the roar of the fire as something popped into his head. “Price, can you break the spindle of the banister? If you could, you’d be able to come untie us.”

“It seems pretty solid,” Price said pulling on the spindle. “Maybe if I kicked it out?” He maneuvered his aching body around on the stairs and put his foot up to the spindle’s base. Leaning back against the other railing, he gave it a good, hard kick. The hard piece of oak squeaked as it came loose of the nails holding it in place. He kicked again, and it splintered, separating completely from the base. He was free.

“Slammin’!” said Jonny. Price ran to the bottom of the stairs, and began to work on the knots holding Benton Quest in the chair Jonny was stuck to. Once they were free, it was a matter of seconds before the rest were free. Jessie let Bandit out of the closet, and headed out the door being held open by her father. Benton ran in the other direction, to the computer console behind the panel in the wall. 

“Iris, cancel all security and contact the Rockport Fire Department. Authorization Benton Quest.”

“All security levels, canceled. Fire Department on its way,” Iris stated.

“Show last known location of Maggie and Matthew Hardy,” Dr. Quest commanded next. Iris played back the security footage of Maggie and Matthew being dragged to the garage. “Hurry!” Dr. Quest shouted. “Hovand is stealing the Quest Chopper!” He ran from the house following the others.

*JQJQJQJQ*

The rotor blades began to whirr as the pilot finished his flight prep. Maggie felt her stomach turn. If they took off, she knew she and her brother were as good as dead. She looked toward the house, praying someone would come to rescue them. Instead, she saw smoke curling into the air.

“What did you do?!” she shouted. “What did you do to them?” Matthew looked out the window toward the house and gasped.

“I assure you, my dear,” Connor stated coolly, “they won’t suffer long. They will die of smoke inhalation before a single flame touches them.” Just then, both Matthew and Maggie saw Jonny and Race running toward them. They were closely followed by Jessie, Price, Hadji, and Benton. They could even see Bandit running along with them. Both let out a breath of relief. “Take off!” Connor ordered the pilot urgently. “Take off now!” The man in the pilot seat did as he was told, and the helicopter began to slowly lift off the ground.

Connor Hovand gave a laugh of victory as they rose into the air, and those on the ground disappeared from view. He had won, and soon all of the Hardy’s would be dead. Then he would come back and get rid of the Quests for good.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Jonny ran as fast as he possibly could, trying to catch the helicopter before it lifted out of reach. At the last minute, he caught hold of the skid and he held on for dear life as he was snatched from the ground.

“Jonny!” Dr. Quest shouted as his son rose into the air.

“Dad!” Jessie shouted at the same time because Race managed to catch the chopper a nanosecond after Jonny. Price made a jump for it, and barely caught the skid, but his grasp slipped, and he fell several feet back to the ground.

“No!” he shouted from the ground. He, and the rest of the Quest family turned their faces to the sky, watching the helicopter move out over the Atlantic, then circle back over land.

“You tried,” Jessie said, consoling the disappointed Price. “If anyone can save them, it’s Jonny and my Dad.” As she finished her sentence, they could hear the faint sirens of the fire engines coming toward the compound from town.

“Looks like all we can do now is meet the authorities, and hope for the best,” Benton Quest said with a worried sigh.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Jonny looked down. His feet were hanging there, high up above the treetops. If he let go now, he would fall to his death. He shuddered. Looking across to the other skid, he saw Race Bannon trying to hook his feet around the skid so he could climb up onto it. Ignoring the freezing air cutting through his thin shirt, Jonny did the same.

When they had both managed to get up and were seated on the skids, they glanced at one another again. Race gave him the “hold up” gesture, meaning for him to follow his lead. Race slid to the back of the skid and slowly stood up along the body of the helicopter. Jonny did the same, knowing they would have to get inside if they were going to be of any help. Jonny reached up for the door handle, and waited for Race’s signal.

Race held onto the handle of the door while he crouched on the thin skid. He raised his head ever so slowly and peered into the helicopter window at an angle, so as not to be noticed by the passengers inside the cabin. He could see Hovand and the man in black across from him. He figured Maggie and Matthew must be right next to him and Jonny, sitting on the bench that stretched across the back of the cabin. The third gunman, the one dressed in white, was not up front, so he was likely sharing the bench. None of the passengers had any idea he and Jonny were out there. He and Jonny definitely had the element of surprise on their side. Race counted to three, then flung the door open.

*JQJQJQJQ*

Maggie sat in her seat, staring across the cabin at Connor Hovand. She really hated that man. His cold gaze proved the feeling was mutual.

“So, you thought me dead, did you?” Mr. Hovand asked with a smirk on his face. “I had you all fooled: you two, that dense Dr. Quest and his muscle man Bannon, and those rotten kids besides.”

“You didn’t have Jonny fooled,” Maggie couldn’t help but squelch his attitude. “He knew all along that you were alive.” She had succeeded. Connor Hovand gave her a menacing look.

“How exactly did you get out?” Matthew asked. He figured if they were going to die, they might as well die knowing the truth.

“Easy,” Hovand told them. “I was outside before emergency crews arrived. All I had to do was blend in with the gathering crowd of onlookers.”

“There was a body,” Maggie said slowly. “If it wasn’t yours, whose was it?” Connor smiled very slowly, the expression chilling.

“I imagine what they found was what remained of your mother’s body,” Hovand said. Maggie let out a cry of dismay, and Matthew swallowed a lump in his throat. Connor laughed. Suddenly the door flew open, and the passengers were hit with an icy blast of air.

Now it was Connor’s turn to be shocked. His stunned reaction was exactly what Race Bannon had been hoping for. He held onto the door and swung himself into the helicopter’s cabin, sending a foot flying into Hovand’s jaw. The force of the impact sent Race swinging back out of the cabin, clinging to the door. Connor’s gun went off, and the bullet went through the window on Jonny’s side.

Jonny saw the window glass crack, fracturing in a spider web pattern outward from a bullet hole, even though he couldn’t hear over the roar of the rotor blades. He took it as his cue. Flinging the door open, he climbed inside, grabbing around the side for purchase. As he did, he saw Matthew throw his fist into the face of the black clad gunman. The gunman in white, in turn, went for Matthew. Jonny gained a good hold and was inside. With a kick, he upset the balance of the man in white. The man in white stumbled sideways, and tipped out the open door. He was gone.

Maggie was still in her seat, but she had grabbed for Connor’s hand when Hovand moved to dislodge Race. She was trying to wrench his gun from his hand while Race climbed back inside the cabin.

“Jonny! Help me get the gun!” Matthew shouted when he saw his younger cousin. Jonny reached and grabbed the wrist of the man in black, trying not to let the gun point anywhere but up. A shot rang out and hit the wall behind Maggie.

Maggie looked up. The pilot had a gun in his hand. He had just shot at her. And then Matthew lunged at him, furious. Maggie forced herself to ignore them. Race was still swinging on the door, and she was still fighting to keep hold on Hovand. Abruptly, she brought her hard cast down on Hovand’s wrist. His grip loosened automatically at the blow, and Maggie pulled the gun from his hand and flung it out the open door.

“Maggie!” Jonny shouted desperately. He was wrestling with the gunman in black, and losing. “Hit him!” Maggie didn’t think. She just acted. She threw herself at the black clad gunman and hit him across the bridge of his nose with her cast. Jonny freed himself from the man’s pinning weight, and Maggie threw herself across the man, holding him down, while Jonny went for his gun. But the man in black held fast to the weapon.

Matthew kicked the pilot’s hand, and the gun dropped to the floor. Matthew picked it up to throw it out the door, but the pilot grabbed Matthew’s wrist, turning him, and twisting his arm up behind his back. The helicopter lurched to one side, the pilot’s attention fixed on Matthew. Matt fumbled the gun and dropped it.

Race felt the lurch, and was afraid he would fall, but it turned out to be a godsend. The door swung inward, and Race used the momentum to launch himself into the cabin, landing awkwardly on the floor at Hovand’s feet. Not the most desirable place to be, he learned, when Hovand’s foot pressed down on his back, holding him to the floor.

“Let ‘im go!” the pilot screamed at Maggie and Jonny. Connor reached down and retrieved the gun Matt had dropped. He pointed it at Matthew’s temple. 

“Everyone, sit,” Connor ordered, pointing to the seat across the back of the cabin. Jonny and Maggie had no real choice, so they sat. Connor let Race up, and directed him to sit, too. “Now,” Hovand said, “Let’s end this, shall we?” Connor grabbed Matthew and made him kneel on the floor before him. The pilot occupied himself with flying once again, and the chopper’s flight path leveled off. Connor’s gaze found Maggie. “You, my dear,” he said, “will watch as everyone is executed before you.” Maggie was too horrified to speak. “It’s the least you deserve for everything you’ve done.” She fixed her gaze on the gun pointed at her brother’s head. Connor’s finger began to tighten around the trigger.

“No!” Maggie screamed, lunging for the gun. She caught Hovand’s wrist, turning the gun away from her brother, but her effort didn’t stop the gun from going off. Everyone looked around with bated breath, trying to find where the bullet had gone. The pilot slumped in his seat, his head turning to reveal the mess the bullet left behind.

“You killed my brother!” the man in black shouted, jumping up from his seat in a rage, turning his gun on Maggie. Jonny wasn’t about to let his cousin get shot. He planted a solid kick to the gunman’s knee, and the man in black crumpled back into his seat. Jonny went for the gun. Matthew, as if waking from a daze, leapt up to help Jonny. Race used the distraction to make a run for the cockpit. There was no one flying the chopper.

While Matthew pried one of the gunman’s hands off the gun, Jonny managed to pry his other hand off his throat where he’d managed to latch on. Gasping for breath, he kept the black clad man’s hand from reattaching itself to his throat until Matt brought the handle of the gun down on the back of the man’s skull, sending him into a black oblivion of unconsciousness.

Race couldn’t get at the controls with the body of the dead pilot in the way. He reached across the corpse and opened the pilot’s door. He unbuckled the pilot, then pushed the body toward the door. As he slipped out the open doorway, the pilot’s foot hit the controls, and the helicopter tilted sharply downward. Race caught the pilot’s seat, and climbed into it as the helicopter dove for the ground. He grabbed the controls and righted the chopper on a steady course.

The sharp dip of the chopper took it’s other passengers by surprise. Jonny and Matt caught hold of the seats, but Maggie was still struggling with Connor Hovand over the last remaining gun. Connor, tired of her persistence, chose that moment to lunge forward to knock her away. The force of his momentum, and the concurrent dip of the chopper pitched both of them out the open door.

“Jonny!!” Maggie screamed as she was thrown into empty air.

“Maggie!” both Jonny and Matthew yelled as the young woman disappeared from sight. Maggie reached out desperate to catch onto something. She managed to grab the skid with her good hand. Connor, too, tried to grab hold of something and managed to get hold of Maggie’s ankle. Jonny and Matthew dropped to the floor and crawled to the open doorway, looking over the edge of the floor. Maggie was clinging precariously by one hand, and her grip was slipping.

“Jonny! Matthew!” she called out tersely when she saw them. “Help me!”

“Hold on!” Matthew yelled over the roar of the rotor blades.

“Hurry!” Jonny shouted to Matthew, wasting no time. “Lower me down to her. I’ll grab hold of her, and you can haul us up!”

“What about Hovand?” Matthew asked. “I can’t hold all three of you.”

“Leave that to me,” Jonny answered. Matthew anchored himself to the passenger seat, then grabbed hold of Jonny’s legs and lowered him over the side. Jonny was hanging from the waist down when his hands reached Maggie’s hand. 

“Jonny!” Maggie called as he grabbed hold of her wrist. “I can’t hang on anymore. He’s too heavy.” Jonny looked into her pleading eyes.

“Kick him,” Jonny called to her. “Kick his hands as hard as you can! Make him let go!” She did as she was told, taking her free foot and kicking at Connor’s bare hands. She hit him square on the knuckles several times, then suddenly his weight was gone.

“You did it!” Jonny exclaimed. “Pull us up!” he shouted to Matthew. Matthew pulled with all his strength and managed to get Jonny back into the chopper. Once he was in, Matthew crawled over to the door and leaned out, reaching down to grab hold of his sister’s other arm. Together, Jonny and Matthew hauled Maggie inside.

“Close the doors,” Race called back to them. “It’s freezing in here.” Jonny and Matthew left Maggie lying on the floor to catch her breath while they carefully reached out and closed the doors to the cabin. All four breathed a sigh of relief.

Jonny tied the man in black to his seat with Matthew’s sweatshirt. Matthew helped Maggie up off the floor. She threw her arms around him and hugged him as tight as she could. They both sat down on the seat along the back and relaxed. Jonny sat across from Maggie, next to the man in black.

“Well, kids, what do you say we go home?” Race said turning the helicopter back the way they had come.

*JQJQJQJQ*


	6. Loose Ends

Chapter Six: Loose Ends

Benton Quest, along with Jessie, Hadji, Price, and Bandit looked around the charred remains of what used to be the living room. All the furniture was destroyed, one wall would need to be torn out and replaced, the roof above would need serious work, the hardwood floor was a total loss, and the beautiful stairs were damaged beyond repair, the bottom portion all but burned away. The rest of the house was untouched, aside from some relatively minor smoke and heat and water damage.

Jessie watched as Benton Quest stooped over and picked something out of the charred rubble and ash. She recognized the brass picture frame that had held Rachel Quest’s photograph in a place of honor on the long table that usually stood behind the loveseat. Dr. Quest used his shirtsleeve to wipe grime from the cracked glass. Underneath the glass, one could still make out the faint image of a woman’s face. Jessie wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw tears in his eyes. Her own eyes were misting, aware that Dr. Quest was wondering if his son would ever come back. The stillness of the moment was shattered when Bandit started to bark excitedly. 

“What is it boy?” Jessie asked curiously. “Show me.” Bandit took off for what used to be the front door. Hadji, Dr. Quest, Price, and Jessie looked to one another. “Let’s follow him,” Jessie said. They ran after the little dog.

“A helicopter!” Hadji said as they exited the house, the sound of rotor blades reaching them. All eyes turned to the sky above the woods, and after what seemed an eternity, the Quest Chopper suddenly appeared. Running to the landing pad, they waited for the chopper to set down. As the engines were cut, the side door opened, and Jonny jumped out.

“Dad!” he shouted and ran to his father.

“Jonny! Are you all right?” Benton Quest asked giving his son a hug.

“I’m fine, Dad,” Jonny answered. Then he stooped down and scooped up the little barking dog. “Bandit! Did ya miss me, boy?” The little dog yelped and licked his master’s face. Jonny laughed.

“Dad!” Jessie called when she saw Race open the cockpit door.

“Ponchita!” Jessie ran over to her own father and gave him a hug.

“There’s blood on you,” Jessie said with concern, lightly touching a large stain on the sleeve of his shirt.

“It’s not mine,” Race assured her. “It was one of Hovand’s men.”

Matthew jumped down out of the cabin, dragging the man in black along with him. The thug was still out cold. Matt dumped his limp form in a heap on the pavement, then stood over him, waiting for him to revive.

“Whose handy work is that?” Price asked his adopted brother, indicating the unconscious man.

“Mine,” Matt announced proudly, “though Jonny held him while I put out his lights. Price laughed, the sound more relieved than amused. Maggie made her appearance then, sliding along the rear seat to the door, where she gingerly slid to the floor, letting her feet dangle out of the cabin door. 

“Are you okay?” Price asked as he helped her out of the helicopter. She didn’t say anything at first, but wrapped her arms around him tightly. He hugged her back.

“I’m fine,” she said through chattering teeth. “But I will _never_ fly again. Not after that ride.” She started to shake with cold. “Can we go someplace warm now?”

“Take her up to the house,” Dr. Quest told Price. The young man nodded and placed a supportive arm around Maggie to take her weight off her injured knee. They started back to the house.

“That reminds me,” Matthew said as he watched them go. “We saw smoke…”

“Hovand had the living room set on fire,” Jessie explained. “We were able to get out in time. Fire fighters put the fire out before it spread to the rest of the house.” Matthew nodded.

“So, what do we do with this guy?” he asked next.

“I guess we’ll have to call the authorities and have them come pick him up,” Dr. Quest told him. “We’ll bring him up to the house and keep him tied up there until they come for him.” Race and Matthew picked the unconscious man up out of the snow and hauled him to the house. Everyone followed close behind, exchanging stories as they went.

*JQJQJQJQ*

“I have to talk to you,” Maggie said, sitting in the kitchen, as Price set a mug of hot chocolate in front of her. He took a seat in the chair adjacent to hers.

“It’s about my father, isn’t it?” Price asked. Maggie nodded.

“He…fell,” Maggie said slowly.

“Fell.” It was a loaded statement. Maggie looked down at her chocolate.

“I don’t think he could have survived,” she said quietly. Price said nothing. “He was going to shoot Matt,” she said. “I tried to get the gun away. The pilot got shot- killed. Everything happened so fast…”

“How did he fall?” Price asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

“The helicopter pitched to the side,” Maggie tried to explain. “The door beside us was open… then I was falling-” 

“ _You_ fell?” Price was shocked. He was watching Maggie carefully. She looked so vulnerable, sitting there huddled over her steaming mug of chocolate.

“I don’t know how- I caught the skid with one hand,” Maggie said, still unable to look at him, though she was aware he was watching her. “My hand was slipping.” Price wasn’t sure if she realized it, but the knuckles of her right hand were white, she was holding her mug of chocolate so hard. “He was holding onto my ankle. I- I just did it. I kicked his hand until he let go…” Price couldn’t breathe. Until he saw tears on her cheeks. He didn’t know how he was feeling, but he knew one thing.

“I wish you hadn’t had to do that,” he said softly.

“I’m sorry,” Maggie whispered. And she really was. She had hated Connor Hovand, but she’d never thought she’d be capable of killing him herself. She’d never dreamed she’d be put into the situation where she’d have to. She was startled when she felt Price’s hand lightly touch her arm. She watched as his hand slid down to hers, pulling her hand from her mug of hot chocolate, and linking his fingers with hers. That’s when she found the courage to look at him again. Their eyes met, and she saw there was no blame there, reflecting at her in his green eyes. That wasn’t to say that he was untroubled by what she’d just said because, clearly, he was upset.

“I almost lost-” Price began to say, but he fell silent when the kitchen door swung open and the room filled with friends and family.

“Hot chocolate!” Jonny exclaimed enthusiastically, eyeing Maggie’s mug. “Slammin’! I could really go for some of that right now.” Price dropped Maggie’s hand and stood up to heat more water for the instant hot chocolate. Jonny sat in the chair Price had vacated.

“Where do we put him?” Matthew asked as he and Race brought the man dressed in black into the warm kitchen.

“I suggest we tie him to a chair,” Hadji said. “Perhaps he will learn from the experience.”

“Only if he wakes up. If he doesn’t, he won’t know what we did to him when he finally does,” Jessie pointed out. Hadji shrugged.

“Here, put him in this one,” Race said pulling a chair out from the kitchen table. The high-backed oak chair was ideal. Dr. Quest produced some rope, and they bound the hands and ankles of the man in black before they secured him to the chair. “That ought to hold him until the police get here, at least.”

“Are you warmed up now, Maggie?” Benton asked his niece while Race talked to the police on the telephone.

“Yes,” Maggie answered. “I’m really tired though.” To illustrate her point, she gave a big yawn.

“I’ll take you up to your room,” Matthew offered. “You can tell me what happened to you on the way,” he said pointing to her cast and knee brace.

“You’ll have to take me to your room. Mine has no window,” Maggie said. Matthew gave her a quizzical look. “I’ll tell you about it on the way, and I want to know why you’re not in Peru.” Matthew nodded, then pulled his sister up onto his back. “A piggy-back ride. This is different.”

“You have to take her up the back stairs. The hallway is boarded up by the living room stairs to keep the heat in,” Benton told them. Matthew nodded and he headed up the back stairs, Maggie giggling as Matthew stumbled his way up.

“How did Hovand get his hands on you, Benton?” Race asked Dr. Quest, now that he was finished talking to the police.

“Yeah, Dr. Quest. We thought you and Hadji were going to stay in Nigeria for another week,” Jessie said with curiosity.

“We received a phony message from Race saying we needed to return home immediately. There were no details, but it seemed urgent. Hadji and I got on the next plane, and when we arrived in Rockport, Mr. Hovand’s thug was waiting for us,” Dr. Quest explained.

“Unfortunately,” Hadji added, “we did not treat the message with suspicion, though we both found it odd that Race would contact us only hours after the rest of you left Nigeria. You could not possibly have reached home yet.”

“He’s not very creative,” Jonny commented, “and he left a lot to chance.”

“But would Hadji and Dr. Quest have come home if the message had said anything more? He doesn’t know us well enough to concoct a plausible story. He’s not stupid, Jonny.”

“The simplest plans are often the most effective,” Hadji said.

“You’re right, my father isn’t stupid,” Price agreed. “He’s very intelligent. Or, at least, he was,” Price said, dejectedly. “I just wish he hadn’t been as brilliant as he was. It would have spared a lot of people a lot of pain.”

*JQJQJQJQ*

Matthew came back downstairs an hour later. By then, the man in black had been picked up by the authorities. Matt took a seat next to Price on the couch in the library. Now that the living room was destroyed, the library had become the family’s main gathering place, aside from the kitchen.

“Maggie’s finally asleep,” Matt said. He sighed heavily. “She worries over everything, even our mother,” Matthew nodded toward Price. Price was surprised by that. Why would Maggie be worried about his mother? Dr. Quest was chuckling softly. It earned him some questioning stares.

“I understand her completely,” Dr. Quest said quietly. “My mother and I, and I suspect Laura, too, share that particular trait. It’s inherited I suppose.”

“Not, me, though,” Jonny said with a grin. Dr. Quest smiled at his son.

“Not yet, anyway,” he agreed with a laugh. He sobered, and addressed the group again. “You see, the safety of this family has recently been compromised, and until the threat has been completely neutralized, neither she, nor I for that matter, will breathe easily.”

“She thinks of mother as part of her family?” Price asked, looking at Matt.

“Again, like me,” Dr. Quest explained, “Maggie’s idea of family is not always defined in the traditional sense.” Understanding looks were cast in the direction of Hadji, Race, and Jessie. There was no question they were members of the Quest family, blood ties or no. “Abigail is, for all intents and purposes, Matthew’s mother. That alone is enough for Maggie, though I believe they have a friendship as well.”

“I didn’t know that,” Matt said. “Did you?” he asked Price. Price shook his head. “Maggie wants us to tell Mother everything that happened the last few days, but I think it would just upset her unnecessarily. What’s the point in telling her _he_ survived the warehouse fire just to tell her he died in a fall?”

“Maybe,” Price reluctantly agreed. “It’s hard to tell with Mother. She doesn’t talk about Father at all. It’s like she’s just going through the motions of grief, but she isn’t feeling it.” Price shook his head. “He’s dead. Maybe we _should_ just leave it at that.”

“Then, as far as Mother is concerned, I was never here. I’ve been in Peru the whole time,” Matthew said decidedly.

“Peru?” Price asked. “Are you sure that was legit, and not a set up?”

“Maggie already asked that,” Matt said. “The guy who was supposed to go to Peru came down with appendicitis. The project can’t wait until he recovers, so they found a substitute. That would be me. I talked to the head of the project, and the director of UWA Projects. I know both of them personally. It was on the up and up from the get go. I’m guessing Connor was monitoring me, considering what he was planning, and he got hold of my travel itinerary.”

“That was a definite stroke of luck for Connor Hovand,” Dr. Quest commented.

“Yeah, Uncle Benton, I know what you mean,” Matthew said.

“So, you’re still planning to go to Peru?” Dr. Qeust asked. Matt nodded. “At least you’ll be safely out of Connor Hovand’s reach while you’re there, which is more than I can say for the rest of us, what with Maggie and Hadji off at college,” Dr. Quest said thoughtfully.

“You don’t think he survived that fall, Benton?” Race asked skeptically.

“He’s fooled us once, Race,” Benton replied evenly.

“No one’s found his body,” Jonny pointed out.

“ _Yet_ ,” Jessie reminded.

“In any case,” Dr. Quest said, eyeing Jessie and Jonny wearily, cutting off an impending spat before it could get going, “circumstance isn’t enough evidence when it comes to the safety of my family. I won’t believe it until I have tangible proof.” There was no argument. “Iris,” Benton said, “activate level two security, authorization, Dr. Benton Quest.”

“Level two security activated,” Iris said.

“Iris, I’ll require immediate notification of anyone attempting to gain access to the property,” Dr. Quest continued.

“Understood,” Iris replied.

“Well, goodnight everyone,” Dr. Quest said as he rose from his chair. “It’s been a very long few days. I think we could all used some rest.” He left the room and the others trickled after him one by one.

*JQJQJQJQ*

The household had a busy start the next day, which turned out to be an accurate indication of how the rest of the day would proceed. Breakfast was interrupted by Iris, announcing a visitor at the front gate. Dr. Quest gave the visitor clearance when it turned out to be Sheriff Olson. Minutes later, the sheriff was knocking on the kitchen door, where he’d been instructed to come.

“Morning,” Sheriff Olson greeted everyone around the breakfast table. “I thought you’d like the news in person,” he said. “We found two bodies just after daybreak. One was the gunman you described, the one wearing the white snowmobile suit. The other had a gunshot wound to the head, the pilot.” Maggie was glad she’d already finished her breakfast. She wouldn’t have been able to eat otherwise, after being reminded of what had transpired the day before. “We’re still searching for the third man,” Sheriff Olson said.

“Thank-you for coming,” Dr. Quest said, “we really appreciate it. Do you have time for some coffee?”

“I wish I did,” Sheriff Olson said, “But I’ve got work to get back to. Another time though.” Dr. Quest nodded. “I’ll keep in touch and let you know if we find anything.” Dr. Quest nodded.

“Thanks, Carl,” Race said, letting the sheriff out. Sheriff Olson tipped his hat, then headed for his car as Race shut the door behind him.

After breakfast, Matthew made arrangements to leave for Peru that afternoon. While he was on the phone, the work crew arrived to start clearing out the rubble from what had been the living room the morning before. They would also replace Maggie’s window as soon as a new one could be ordered and delivered.

Jonny and Jessie were informed there would be no Questworld or recreational activities until they had caught up with their studies. Needless to say, they quickly got to work. Hadji, meanwhile, was resigned to spending the remainder of his spring break going through the mainframe files, checking to make sure the power failure hadn’t had any adverse effects on Iris.

After an early lunch, Price and Maggie drove Matthew to the train station and saw him off. From there, they headed for the Rockport clinic. Maggie had an appointment with Dr. Carson to have her knee looked at. There was concern she may have damaged it further by using it as much as she had the last two days.

Dr. Carson wasn’t thrilled about the strain she had put on it. Fortunately, no further damaged had been done. Dr. Carson gave Maggie a sound scolding, forbidding her to put any weight on it for three weeks, instead of two. Then she’d turned on Price, giving him a thorough exam when she heard how he’d acquired his colorful bruises. Dr. Carson was one of the two physicians the Quest family regularly saw. She asked few questions, and was surprised at none of the answers. She deemed Price fit enough, though she stressed how lucky he’d been.

“You know,” Price said as he drove through town on the way back to the compound, “we never finished the conversation we started on the train.”

“Which one was that?” Maggie asked curiously. Surely this wasn’t about his father. Price seemed to be thinking the same thing.

“The one about school,” he clarified. Maggie gave a nod. “Now that things are back to normal, relatively speaking, you _are_ going back, aren’t you?” Price glanced at the young woman in the passenger seat beside him. She was frowning.

“I suppose I should at least finish the semester,” she agreed. “No sense in wasting the tuition I paid.”

“Aren’t you going to finish school?” Price asked, concerned.

“Of course, I will,” Maggie said defensively. “I’ve always wanted to get a degree.” She was silent as she thought for a few long moments. “I know it sounds crazy, but despite people trying to kill me, I’ve felt better the last few days than I have the last six months.”

“You’ve been through hell in the last year,” Price said quietly. “Maybe it’s finally catching up with you.”

“Maybe,” Maggie replied with a shrug. Price wondered what she was thinking, and suddenly, he was determined to find out. On the other side of town, he pulled over, parking in an empty lot beside the Rockport Garden Center. Maggie looked at him questioningly.

“Talk to me, Maggie,” he said seriously. “Tell me what’s wrong.” Maggie slowly looked away, clearly debating with herself what to do.

“The body they found at the warehouse was my mom’s,” Maggie finally said. Price was shocked, but knew it had to be true. It certainly hadn’t been his father’s body, and Laura Hardy was the only other person unaccounted for. It’s just that no one had thought of her before…

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” Price said quietly.

“How could you?” Maggie countered. She met Price’s gaze briefly, then looked out the window again. “I miss my mom,” she said. Price saw one small tear trace its way down her cheek. He reached for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Maggie’s fingers twined with his. “At school I feel isolated and alone,” Maggie said. “Being here eases the ache a little.”

“Because you have your uncle and Jonny,” Price said. Maggie nodded.

“And they, more than anyone, understand how I feel right now- like I’ve been cheated of the life I should have always had, and robbed of the life I always knew,” Maggie said.

“I know what that’s like, too,” Price said, his words barely audible. He gripped her hand tightly for a moment, then let go, placing both hands on the steering wheel and staring down at them. Maggie felt sick. She shouldn’t have spoken like this to Price. It remained unsaid between them, but they both knew the source of her emotional pain was Price’s own father. She realized, perhaps too late, that this was not something she should burden Price with. It had to be hard for him to listen to her bitter feelings toward that man.

And what was worse, Connor Hovand’s death had been a result of her own actions. No matter what, Price was still Connor Hovand’s son, and Connor Hovand had still been Price’s father. He might not admit it, but Price was feeling the loss of his father all over again. This time, though, it was her fault and she hated how it made her feel.

“I’m sorry,” Maggie said quietly. She wasn’t sure Price had heard her.

*JQJQJQJQ*

When they returned to the Quest Compound, Maggie was extremely quiet and subdued. Price, too, was not his usual self. Dr. Quest noticed, and was worried. Feeling that it wasn’t appropriate to approach Price, he decided to speak to his niece. She accommodated his request to join him in his private study upstairs. After a few cursory questions, Benton began to get an idea of what was bothering Maggie, and when he asked her when she planned to return to school, it was like a dam had broken. Suddenly everything Maggie was feeling came flooding out in a storm of sobs and tears.

At first, Dr. Quest felt overwhelmed by the emotional young woman sitting across from him. When he finally realized where it was all coming from- the loss of her mother and father, the departure of her brother, and even Price’s impending departure for Germany- he suddenly understood her in a whole new light. And more importantly, he knew how he might be able to help her. He rose from his chair and went to her, and she didn’t hesitate to cry on his shoulder.

“Maggie,” he said calmly and compassionately once she’d cried herself out, “I’ll have to see how Jonny and Hadji feel about it first, but I’d like for you to come and live here, with us.” Maggie drew away, looking up at her uncle in surprise.

“Really?” she asked. Dr. Quest smiled and nodded.

“I think you should return to school and finish the term first, but yes, I’d like you to live here.” Maggie threw her arms around her uncle and hugged him tight.

“I’d like that, too,” Maggie said. “More than anything.”

“Would you like to find out what Jonny and Hadji think now?” Benton Quest asked his niece, a twinkle in his eye. Maggie nodded, smiling back at him. They both knew what Jonny would say. They left Dr. Quest’s suite on the second floor and made their way downstairs to the library where Jonny and Jessie were hard at work, studying. It turned out that Race and Hadji and Price were there, too.

“Jonny, Hadji,” Dr. Quest said, smiling at his sons, “Maggie and I would like your opinion on a matter of some importance.” Maggie tried not to laugh. Jonny knew his father was teasing him, and he flashed both of them his famous crooked grin after leaving the table where he’d been doing his schoolwork. Hadji, too, was amused. “I’ve invited Maggie to live here, with us,” Dr. Quest said.

“And I’ve accepted,” Maggie finished. “Is that all right with you?”

“Slammin!” Jonny said, giving both his father and his cousin a hug. Hadji grinned happily for his family.

“Thank god, another girl around here,” Jessie commented. She exchanged a glance with her own father. Race nodded. He’d been hoping this would happen. Having Maggie living at the compound would ease many of Dr. Quest’s worries.

Maggie was aware that Price was silently keeping to the background. She turned and met his gaze, feeling oddly like she wanted his approval, too. Their eyes locked for a few moments, then slowly, Price nodded. Price understood how much she needed this, how much she _wanted_ this, and was happy for her. Now he wouldn’t worry about her so much while he was gone.

*JQJQJQJQ*

A few days later, Jonny, Hadji, and Dr. Quest saw Maggie and Price off at the train station. Price had only two weeks left of his leave to visit his mother. Maggie had missed a week of school, and she needed to get back before falling too far behind. Maggie smiled and waved as the train pulled away from the platform. When they were out of sight, she settled into her seat beside Price.

“I’m glad you’re happy,” Price said.

“Thank-you,” Maggie replied. “I am happy.”

“Can I ask you a favor?” Price continued.

“Sure,” Maggie answered. “I’ll try to do whatever it is.”

“Make sure my mother doesn’t get too lonely with Matt and I both gone,” Price requested. Maggie smiled.

“Of course, I will,” Maggie agreed. “I would have made sure of it, even if you hadn’t asked me.” Price smiled and reached for her hand. Maggie smiled back. 

*JQJQJQJQ*

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading!


End file.
